How did the elephant get its trunk? Or the turtle its shell? How, in general, did the seemingly infinite diversity of complex animal forms on our planet arise? The scientific pursuit of how such "evolutionary novelties" come ...
Evolution
Sep 8, 2015
8
42
(Phys.org)—If a metallurgist wanted to determine how a blade was made they might cut a small cross section, mount, polish, and etch it, and then look at it under a microscope. They could probably tell right away whether ...
Since its discovery, scientists have been using the much-lauded gene editing tool CRISPR to alter the DNA of model organisms and uncover the functions of thousands of genes. Now, researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical ...
Biotechnology
Aug 7, 2020
0
158
As embryos develop, they follow predetermined patterns of tissue folding, so that individuals of the same species end up with nearly identically shaped organs and very similar body shapes.
Mathematics
Jul 25, 2019
0
711
Hundreds of millions of years ago, a common ancestor of mammals, birds, and reptiles evolved a phallus. We don't know much about phallus evolution (external genitalia generally don't mineralize, so the fossil record is of ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 1, 2015
0
141
New research by scientists at the University of Exeter has shown that cells demonstrate remarkable flexibility and versatility when it comes to how they divide - a finding with potential links to the underlying causes of ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jan 1, 2014
0
63
Many living creatures possess exceptional abilities that set them apart from other species. Cheetahs can run up to 60 miles per hour; ants can lift 100 times their body weight; flatworms can regrow amputated body parts. Scientists ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 11, 2016
1
679
Humans belong to a select club of species that enjoy crisp color vision in daylight, thanks to a small spot in the center of the retina at the back of the eye. Other club members include monkeys and apes, various fish and ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 23, 2017
0
49
Cells work around the clock to deliver, maintain, and control every aspect of life. And just as with humans, communication is a key to their success.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 22, 2020
0
179
Australian researchers have discovered a new way that epithelial cells, which form layers in organs like the skin and stomach, attach to one another, and how they perceive growth signals at these attachments, helping them ...
Cell & Microbiology
Dec 21, 2023
1
69
