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Evolution news
Enzymes evolved mix-and-match characteristics to shape nitrogen metabolism diversity across the planet
To boost crops more efficiently in the future, the evolutionary past may hold key insights. The way that plants process nutrients has a rich back story—they rely on enzymes that have been evolving for billions of years. ...
Evolution
14 minutes ago
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Neuronal adaptations shed light on anglerfish hunting behavior
Characterized by their unique adaptations to extreme environments, anglerfish are known for using lures to attract prey. Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have discovered in frogfish (a subgroup of anglerfish) a specialized ...
Plants & Animals
55 minutes ago
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New insights into the evolution and paleoecology of mosasaurs
Mosasaurs are extinct marine lizards, spectacular examples of which were first discovered in 1766 near Maastricht in the Netherlands, fueling the rise of the field of vertebrate paleontology. Paleontologist Michael Polcyn ...
Evolution
1 hour ago
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Gene inherited from Neanderthals influences tooth shape, study suggests
Genetic variants that determine the shape of your teeth—including a gene inherited from Neanderthals—have been identified by a team co-led by UCL researchers.
Evolution
2 hours ago
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Mechanics, not just genetics, drive diversity in crocodile scales
How can we explain the morphological diversity of living organisms? Although genetics is the answer that typically springs to mind, it is not the only explanation.
Evolution
Dec 11, 2024
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A new species of flying reptile reshuffles the timeline of pterosaur evolution
About 230 million years ago, almost 80 million years before the first bird appeared, their distantly related cousins, the pterosaurs took to the sky, as the first group of active fliers among the vertebrates. Pterosaurs developed ...
Evolution
Dec 11, 2024
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Morphology study highlights diverse jaw evolution in lizards and snakes
A University of Bristol study has shed light on how lizards and snakes—the most diverse group of land vertebrates with nearly 12,000 species—have evolved remarkably varied jaw shapes, driving their extraordinary ecological ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 10, 2024
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Centromeres could be 'hotspots' for evolutionary innovation
New research reveals that centromeres, which are responsible for proper cell division, can rapidly reorganize over short time scales. Biologists at the University of Rochester are calling a discovery they made in a mysterious ...
Evolution
Dec 10, 2024
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Flagella-free survival: How bacteria evolve by shedding their 'wheels'
A research group has discovered an interesting way that bacteria adapt to their environment. Their study, published in Microbiological Research, reveals that bacteria can evolve by losing their flagella, the structures responsible ...
Evolution
Dec 10, 2024
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Chloroplasts' ancient origins: Organelles may have emerged as energy producers before switching to carbon assimilation
One of the most momentous events in the history of life involved endosymbiosis—a process by which one organism engulfed another and, instead of ingesting it, incorporated its DNA and functions into itself.
Evolution
Dec 10, 2024
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New research reveals a key evolutionary benefit of sleeping for a season—or for centuries
What can plants or animals do when faced with harsh conditions? Two options for survival seem most obvious: move elsewhere or adapt to their environment.
Evolution
Dec 9, 2024
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Blue-throated macaws have advanced motor imitation capabilities, study shows
Blue-throated macaws, a critically endangered parrot species, have demonstrated automatic imitation of intransitive (goal-less) actions—a phenomenon previously documented only in humans.
Plants & Animals
Dec 9, 2024
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A microRNA solves an evolutionary mystery of butterfly and moth wing coloration
Lepidopterans (butterflies and moths) exhibit a splendid diversity of wing color patterns, and many species display black and white, or dark and bright, wing color pattern variants associated with the presence and absence ...
Evolution
Dec 6, 2024
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That's no straw: Hummingbirds evolved surprisingly flexible bills to help them drink nectar
Hummingbird bills—their long, thin beaks—look a little like drinking straws. The frenetic speed at which they get nectar out of flowers and backyard feeders may give the impression that the bills act as straws, too. But ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 5, 2024
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Scientists identify mutation that could facilitate H5N1 bird flu virus infection and potential transmission in humans
Avian influenza viruses typically require several mutations to adapt and spread among humans, but what happens when just one change can increase the risk of becoming a pandemic virus?
Evolution
Dec 5, 2024
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Discovery of key protein complex shows evolution and adaptability of photosynthetic organisms
A team of researchers has revealed the structure of a modified and evolved version of Photosystem I (PS I), a key protein complex used by plants and cyanobacteria to convert sunlight into chemical energy. This discovery sheds ...
Evolution
Dec 5, 2024
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Neanderthals and modern humans must be classed as separate species to best track our origins, study claims
A new study published by researchers at London's Natural History Museum and Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven has reinforced the claim that Neanderthals and modern-day humans (Homo sapiens) must be classed as separate species ...
Evolution
Dec 5, 2024
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Study shows chimpanzees perform the same complex behaviors that have brought humans success
A new study suggests that the fundamental abilities underlying human language and technological culture may have evolved before humans and apes diverged millions of years ago. The findings were published 5 December 2024 in ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 5, 2024
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Chimpanzees use different types of memory to find insects hidden underground, study finds
Chimpanzees are the animals with the most complex memory, apart from humans. They remember where and when ripe fruits are available, and use this information to decide which trees they will visit and even where they will ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 5, 2024
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Biologist explores why humans have sex—and sexes—in a world where life requires neither
University of Maryland biology Professor Eric Haag has spent his career studying animal reproduction, but people's sex lives never factored into his research. That changed in 2014 when a cancer diagnosis prompted Haag to ...
Evolution
Dec 4, 2024
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Other news
Catalyst 'breathes' new life into acrylonitrile production
One of world's largest glacier floods triggered in Greenland
Scientists control quantum states in new energy range
What bone scans reveal about a tiny crocodilian from the Jurassic era
Study: Lake ice becoming unsafe, increasing drowning risk
Sweet potato genetics: How allele dosage shapes crop traits
No shallow magma ocean for Jupiter's moon Io, research suggests
How influenza A moves: New simulation offers potential to stop spread
