The spindly filaments and coral-like colonies of the ancient phylum of marine animals known as bryozoans likely aren't the first thing that come to mind when you envision safe and protective child care. But a new study on the 600-million-year history of these obscure animals highlights the important role good parenting has played in their enduring success. In one of the largest genetic analyses of invertebrate marine organisms to date, researchers sequenced DNA from hundreds of alcohol-preserved specimens stored in more than 20 museums around the world.