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Evolution news
Tiny microbe colonies may use electrical signaling to coordinate their behavior
A new study published in Science Advances reveals evidence of electrical signaling and coordinated behavior in choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals. This elaborate example of cell communication offers ...
Evolution
5 hours ago
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10
Scorching climate drove lampreys apart during Cretaceous period, DNA and fossil record reveal
A new study finds that one of the hottest periods in Earth's history may have driven lampreys apart—genetically speaking. The work could have implications for how aquatic species respond to our current changing climate. ...
Evolution
7 hours ago
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55
Facultative sex allows some animals to reproduce with or without a partner. So why can't humans do it?
If you've ever had a spiny leaf insect as a pet, or you're considering getting one, hopefully someone has warned you about this: if you put one in your enclosure, you might come back some time later to find two.
Plants & Animals
8 hours ago
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Discovery of 'Punk' and 'Emo' fossils challenges our understanding of ancient mollusks
Researchers have unearthed two fossils, named Punk and Emo, revealing that ancient mollusks were more complex and adaptable than previously known.
Evolution
10 hours ago
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49
Why are lemurs nearly extinct, and yet so diverse?
Lemurs, small, big-eyed primates that live in the trees of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa, are a mystery of evolution. When the first ones arrived there tens of millions of years ago, they found an island with ...
Evolution
12 hours ago
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A passive resistance phenomenon: Marine bacteria use low tRNA levels to fend off viruses
As humans, we often focus on viruses and bacteria because of their role in causing various, sometimes severe, diseases. However, an equally fascinating but lesser-known phenomenon is the ongoing battle between bacteria and ...
Evolution
Jan 7, 2025
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Study finds two classes of plant enzymes that ignore common rule of evolution
Made up of tiny threads known as cellulose microfibrils, plant cell walls are important for regulating a plant's growth and protecting them from pests and pathogens. Previously, only one route for producing these microfibrils ...
Evolution
Jan 7, 2025
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64
Why do falcons have stripes under their eyes? The answer is more complex than we thought
Falcons are found worldwide, from the fast and slick hobbies to the large and powerful gyrfalcon of the Arctic tundra. In Africa, falcons are found across many habitats. Several species are unique to the continent, including ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 7, 2025
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29
Unlocking plant resilience: Shared genes offer hope for climate-ready crops
A team at the University of Calgary is making scientific advances in understanding plant adaptation, which could ultimately be used to find ways to make agricultural crops more resilient to heat, drought and climate change.
Evolution
Jan 6, 2025
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42
Hornwort genomes provide clues on how plants conquered the land
Over 450 million years ago, plants began the epic transition from water to dry land. Among the first pioneers were the ancestors of humble hornworts, a group of small, unassuming plants that have persisted to this day. New ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 6, 2025
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106
Tiny plants reveal big potential for boosting crop efficiency
Scientists have long sought ways to help plants turn more carbon dioxide (CO₂) into biomass, which could boost crop yields and even combat climate change. Recent research suggests that a group of unique, often overlooked ...
Evolution
Jan 6, 2025
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Fossil study reveals oldest-known evolutionary 'arms race'
A study led by researchers at the American Museum of Natural History presents the oldest known example in the fossil record of an evolutionary arms race. These 517-million-year-old predator-prey interactions occurred in the ...
Evolution
Jan 3, 2025
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248
Chimpanzees' stone tool choices may mirror ancient human ancestors' techniques
An international team of paleobiologists, anthropologists and behavioral scientists has found that the process used by modern chimps to select tools for cracking nuts may be similar to how ancient human ancestors chose their ...
Lake bacteria evolve like clockwork with the seasons, study reveals
Like Bill Murray in the movie "Groundhog Day," bacteria species in a Wisconsin lake are in a kind of endless loop that they can't seem to shake. Except in this case, it's more like Groundhog Year.
Evolution
Jan 3, 2025
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Gene expression study reveals human brain cell types becoming more specialized, not just more numerous
Our brain is arguably the organ that most distinguishes humans from other primates. Its exceptional size, complexity and capabilities far exceed those of any other species on Earth. Yet humans share upwards of 95% of our ...
Evolution
Jan 2, 2025
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Scientists are discovering the deepest evolutionary secrets of Australia's marsupial mole
Marsupial moles are perhaps Australia's most bizarre mammals. Known as "itjaritjari" to the Indigenous Aṉangu people and featuring prominently in their tales, the marsupial mole is rarely observed, making any sighting a ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 2, 2025
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Convergent evolution: stick and leaf insects share 20 body features
A team of biologists in Montana and Germany has found that, regardless of type, those insects that express a protective stick- or leaf-like appearance all evolved the same basic body parts. In their study, published in the ...
Rare fossil embryos show early Ecdysozoa development in Cambrian era
An international research team has made a notable discovery of fossil embryos belonging to Ecdysozoa, a diverse group of animals including roundworms, velvet worms, insects, and crabs. These fossils, dated to approximately ...
Evolution
Dec 24, 2024
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138
Fly vs. wasp: Stealing a defense move helps thwart a predator
In the continual arms race between parasites and their hosts, innovation was thought to be the key to a successful attack or defense that one-ups the competition. But sometimes, as in the corporate world, outright theft can ...
Evolution
Dec 24, 2024
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New study documents evolution of fast-growing, fish-eating herring in Baltic Sea
Atlantic and Baltic herring are typical plankton-eating fish of central importance for the northern Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea ecosystems. A new study published in Nature Communications led by scientists from Uppsala University ...
Evolution
Dec 23, 2024
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More news
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Blueberry industry at risk as powdery mildew spreads worldwide
Dormancy: Life's first survival strategy?
Scientists create scalable solution for analyzing single-cell data
Debris falling from the sky: More often, more risk
Do animals get jealous like people? Researchers say it's complicated
