Last update: Mar 22, 2025

Evolution: Features that help in finding a mate may lead to smaller brains

Evolution news

Evolution: Features that help in finding a mate may lead to smaller brains

A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is how sexual selection influences how entire genomes develop. Sexual selection is where individuals with certain traits have higher reproductive success, leading to the spread ...

Evolution

Mar 22, 2025

Origin of life: How a special group of single-celled organisms laid the foundation for complex cells

Ten years ago, nobody knew that Asgard archaea even existed. In 2015, however, researchers examining deep-sea sediments discovered gene fragments that indicated a new and previously undiscovered form of microbes.

Evolution

Mar 21, 2025

262

Deadly bacteria have developed the ability to produce antimicrobials and wipe out competitors, scientists discover

A drug-resistant type of bacteria that has adapted to health care settings evolved in the past several years to weaponize an antimicrobial genetic tool, eliminating its cousins and replacing them as the dominant strain. University ...

Evolution

Mar 21, 2025

208

Cloaked in color: Research finds some female hummingbirds evolve male plumage to dodge aggression

Why do humans wear clothes? One reason is that changing outfits allows people to tailor their look in hopes of attracting or avoiding attention. New research led by the University of Washington found that hummingbirds may ...

Plants & Animals

Mar 20, 2025

151

From dinosaurs to birds: The origins of feather formation

Feathers are among the most complex cutaneous appendages in the animal kingdom. While their evolutionary origin has been widely debated, paleontological discoveries and developmental biology studies suggest that feathers ...

Evolution

Mar 20, 2025

They'd rather die: The lesson that male roundworms refuse to learn

In human society, men tend to be seen as risk-takers, while women are seen as being more cautious. According to evolutionary psychologists, this difference developed in the wake of threats to each sex and their respective ...

Evolution

Mar 20, 2025

How an organelle evolves in symbiosis with a cell: Intermediate stage sheds light on the assimilation process

Organelles in cells were originally often independent cells, which were incorporated by host cells and lost their independence in the course of evolution. A team of biologists headed by Professor Dr. Eva Nowack at Heinrich ...

Evolution

Mar 19, 2025

Chimpanzee genes have changed over time to suit local conditions: New study

Chimpanzees are humans' closest living relatives, sharing more than 98% of our DNA. They are endangered, with fewer than 250,000 left and an annual decline of between 1.5% and 6%. This is due to habitat destruction, hunting ...

Evolution

Mar 19, 2025

The tendency of some flowers to be 'honest' and reward pollinators with nectar is partly genetic, study suggests

Flowers can produce showy displays that appeal to pollinating insects or animals, but some "cheat" by enticing pollinators but not rewarding them with nectar. Research in New Phytologist indicates that the tendency of flowers ...

Evolution

Mar 19, 2025

Sperm breach blastocyst defenses in primates, providing new insights into reproductive competition

In a study of early embryonic development in primates, an international research team under the leadership of Berthold Huppertz and Thomas Kroneis from Med Uni Graz has shown for the first time that sperm can penetrate the ...

Evolution

Mar 18, 2025

Scientists uncover principles underlying the toxicity of 'selfish' genes

Lurking within the genomes of nearly all species—including plants, fungi, and even humans—are genes that are passed from generation to generation with no clear benefit to the organism. Called "selfish" genes, they can ...

Evolution

Mar 18, 2025

Genetic study reveals hidden chapter in human evolution

Modern humans descended from not one, but at least two ancestral populations that drifted apart and later reconnected, long before modern humans spread across the globe.

Evolution

Mar 18, 2025

351

How big brains and flexible skulls led to the evolution of modern birds

Modern birds are the living relatives of dinosaurs. Take a look at the features of flightless birds like chickens and ostriches that walk upright on two hind legs, or predators like eagles and hawks with their sharp talons ...

Evolution

Mar 17, 2025

123

Gorillas match chimpanzees in self-awareness study

Gorillas may have greater self-awareness than scientists previously thought. A new study finds that gorillas perform just as well as chimpanzees in tests that require awareness of their own bodies. A research team, led by ...

Plants & Animals

Mar 17, 2025

Koalas in Queensland show unique immunity to deadly retrovirus

Koalas from a population north of the Brisbane River have evolved a unique genomic immunity to the killer retrovirus threatening their species.

Plants & Animals

Mar 14, 2025

Genomic study indicates our capacity for language emerged 135,000 years ago

It is a deep question, from deep in our history: when did human language as we know it emerge? A new survey of genomic evidence suggests our unique language capacity was present at least 135,000 years ago. Subsequently, language ...

Evolution

Mar 14, 2025

504

Snakes' secret language of ultraviolet color: A hidden world of predator evasion and camouflage

In the study of why and how animals look the way they do, color is king—at least, the range of color humans can see. A University of Michigan study has examined a color range that humans can't see and often ignore: color ...

Evolution

Mar 13, 2025

104

DNA and 90 million-year-old pollen fossils reveal new insights into evolution of Asian tropics

In a new study published today in Science, researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew), together with global partners, combine results from two newly discovered prehistoric palm fossils with DNA from global ...

Evolution

Mar 13, 2025

Predatory behavior is an inherited trait across multiple generations in nematodes

A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen has made significant strides in understanding the evolution of predatory behavior of nematodes, challenging established paradigms in evolutionary biology. ...

Evolution

Mar 13, 2025

We modeled how early human ancestors ran—and found they were surprisingly slow

Imagine the scene, around 3 million years ago in what is now east Africa. By the side of a river, an injured antelope keels over and draws its last breath. The carcass is soon set on by hyenas, who tussle with a crocodile. ...

Evolution

Mar 13, 2025

AMoRE experiment sets new limits on neutrinoless double beta decay of ¹⁰⁰Mo

17 hours ago

Next-generation AI hardware: 3D photonic-electronic platform boosts efficiency and bandwidth

16 hours ago

Guardians of the vineyard: Canines and chemistry work to combat powdery mildew

22 hours ago

Bridging the gap between the cosmic microwave background and the first galaxies

14 hours ago

Team discovers 'dark oxygen' on the seafloor

15 hours ago

More news

Evolution

East Asian human gene that allows adult humans to digest sugars in milk likely came from Neanderthals

Evolution

Deep-sea fish study reveals evolutionary marvels in Earth's hadal zone

Evolution

Scientists explain energy transfer mechanism in chloroplasts and its evolution

Evolution

Neurons' reverse migration: Exploring the brain's evolutionary architecture

Plants & Animals

A new name for one of the world's rarest rhinoceroses

Evolution

Triassic Life: An overview of ancient amphibians, crocodile relatives, early dinosaurs and mammalian ancestors

Plants & Animals

Heliconius butterfly mating choices linked to simple neural change, which could speed evolution

Evolution

Spider development and vision: A genetic perspective

Evolution

Birds' high blood sugar defies aging expectations

Evolution

Shells of their former selves: How sea snails have adapted to invasive predators

Plants & Animals

600 million years of shared environmental stress response found in algae and plants

Plants & Animals

New research shows bigger animals get more cancer, defying decades-old belief

Evolution

The changing chorus: How movements and memories influence birdsong evolution

Evolution

New fossil discovery of an early human relative reveals that it walked upright, just like humans

Plants & Animals

Bonobos and chimps offer clues to how our early ancestors had sex for social purposes

Plants & Animals

Climate change: Scientists discover differences in the way forest and desert flies process external temperature

Evolution

Testing the Out of Africa model in East Eurasian genomic origins

Evolution

Fossil study reveals oldest larval eyes with high-resolution vision

Plants & Animals

Deciphering the evolutionary transition from reptilian jaw to mammalian nose

Evolution

Introducing Evo 2, a predictive and generative genomic AI for all domains of life

Other news

General Physics

AMoRE experiment sets new limits on neutrinoless double beta decay of ¹⁰⁰Mo

Optics & Photonics

Next-generation AI hardware: 3D photonic-electronic platform boosts efficiency and bandwidth

Veterinary medicine

Guardians of the vineyard: Canines and chemistry work to combat powdery mildew

Other

Saturday Citations: The universe doesn't care about your precious standard model

Cell & Microbiology

Dendritic spines: The key to understanding how memories are linked in time

Astronomy

Euclid opens data treasure trove, offers glimpse of deep fields

Materials Science

Researchers pioneer groundbreaking light-driven method to create key drug compounds

Plants & Animals

Experiments show gray seals can monitor their own blood oxygen levels to prevent drowning

Materials Science

Eco-friendly detergent made from wood and corn shows promise

Astronomy

Cosmic anomaly hints at frightening future for Milky Way

Optics & Photonics

Researchers capture first laser-driven, high-resolution CT scans of dense objects 

Cell & Microbiology

Scientists witness living plant cells generate cellulose and form cell walls for the first time

Quantum Physics

An experimental test of the nonlocal energy alteration between two quantum memories

Plants & Animals

Two bees or not two bees? How wild bees feel the sting of honeybee competition

Social Sciences

A transition point in romantic relationships may signal the beginning of their end

General Physics

Scientists measure the spin-parity of charm baryons for the first time

Quantum Physics

Wireless terahertz cryogenic interconnect minimizes heat-to-information transfer in quantum processors

Plants & Animals

Massive, long-lived trees discovered in the Tanzanian rainforest are a new species

Optics & Photonics

Compact solid-state laser system generates 193-nm vortex beam for the first time

Planetary Sciences

A NASA spacecraft will make another close pass of the sun

Evolution

Predicting SARS-CoV-2 variant infectivity with biophysical principles

Evolution

Mollusk family tree helps resolve long-standing evolutionary questions

Evolution

When birds lose the ability to fly, their bodies change faster than their feathers, scientists discover

Evolution

Earliest evidence for humans in rainforests discovered

Plants & Animals

Fish teeth show how ease of innovation enables rapid evolution

Evolution

Humans have the earliest jawed fish to thank for their flexible joints, study suggests

Evolution

Interspecies alliances: Research examines cognitive underpinnings of cross-species collaborations

Evolution

Life in the fast, or slow, lane: How environmental variability influences birds' survival and reproduction strategies

Evolution

Male mosquitofish that perform better at problem-solving have a higher chance of mating, research shows

Evolution

Researchers delve into one of biology's scientific frontiers—by studying studies

Ecology

Insecticides may contribute to bigger problems with certain weeds

Nanophysics

Graphene quantum dots mimic orbital hybridization

Biotechnology

Computational drug discovery: Exploring natural products targeting SARS-CoV-2

Environment

New insights into formation of anthropogenic organic aerosols suggest greater region impact

Condensed Matter

Cutting-edge experiments reveal 'hidden' details in transforming material with implications for faster microelectronics

Nanomaterials

Core-shell nanocluster catalyst enables high-efficiency, low-cost and eco-friendly hydrogen production

Cell & Microbiology

Decoding a green alga's ciliary layer: Study reveals high‐resolution structure

Earth Sciences

Core samples from Greenland's seabed provide first historical overview of plastic pollution

Plants & Animals

Thriving Antarctic ecosystems found in wake of recently detached iceberg

Nanomaterials

Innovative technology enables rapid thin film manufacturing in one minute using only water and oil

The evolving pigment palette of European skin, eyes and hair as seen through ancient DNA

University of Ferrara researchers in Italy have examined how European skin, eye and hair pigmentation evolved over the past 45,000 years. Findings indicate that lighter pigmentation traits emerged gradually and non-linearly, ...

Evolution

report

Feb 18, 2025

421

Super genes: Does evolution need them?

A new UC study has looked at the evolutionary significance of super genes and their potential role in species survival.

Evolution

Feb 18, 2025

A single protein may have helped shape the emergence of spoken language

The origins of human language remain mysterious. Are we the only animals truly capable of complex speech? Are Homo sapiens the only hominids who could give detailed directions to a far-off freshwater source or describe the ...

Evolution

Feb 18, 2025

210

Why did life evolve to be so colorful? Research is starting to give us some answers

Picture a primordial Earth: a world of muted browns, grays and greens. Fast forward to today, and Earth teems with a kaleidoscope of colors. From the stunning feathers of male peacocks to the vivid blooms of flowers, the ...

Evolution

Feb 17, 2025

How dinosaur extinctions created an environment that contributed to our fruit-eating primate ancestors

The extinction of the largest dinosaurs to walk the Earth may have played a critical role in creating an environment that helped fruits evolve, thereby indirectly shaping the evolution of our own fruit-eating ancestors, according ...

Evolution

Feb 17, 2025

198

Near-complete skull discovery reveals 'top apex,' leopard-sized carnivore

A rare discovery of a nearly complete skull in the Egyptian desert has led scientists to the "dream" revelation of a new 30-million-year-old species of the ancient apex predatory carnivore, Hyaenodonta.

Evolution

Feb 17, 2025

Analysis reveals global patterns of trait matching in bird-plant networks

In 1862, Charles Darwin predicted the existence of a moth with a long tongue based on a comet orchid's nectar spurs. This was confirmed in 1903 with the discovery of a long-tongued hawkmoth, illustrating morphological trait ...

Evolution

Feb 14, 2025

Birds have developed complex brains independently from mammals, studies reveal

Two studies published in the latest issue of Science have revealed that birds, reptiles, and mammals have developed complex brain circuits independently, despite sharing a common ancestor. These findings challenge the traditional ...

Plants & Animals

Feb 13, 2025

175

Deep learning provides new view on 300 million years of brain evolution

In a new study published in Science, a Belgian research team explores how genetic switches controlling gene activity define brain cell types across species. They trained deep learning models on human, mouse, and chicken brain ...

Evolution

Feb 13, 2025

The evolution of evolution itself: How evolution got so good at evolving

The field of evolution examines how organisms adapt to their environments over generations, but what about the evolution of evolution itself?

Evolution

Feb 13, 2025

105

Research reveals function of red stigmas in wind-pollinated flowers

Hazelnuts have long been prized as a tasty and nutritious food. Found in forests statewide in Missouri, they are a favorite wild edible for many people. Squirrels and other small mammals feast on the nuts each fall and winter, ...

Plants & Animals

Feb 13, 2025

Bacteria evolved to help neighboring cells after death, new research reveals

Darwin's theory of natural selection provides an explanation for why organisms develop traits that help them survive and reproduce. Because of this, death is often seen as a failure rather than a process shaped by evolution.

Evolution

Feb 13, 2025

187

Simulation shows wolves had time to self-domesticate and evolve into dogs

A team of mathematicians and statisticians from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, the University of Tennessee and Valparaiso University, all in the U.S., has found new evidence that wolves had ample time to self-domesticate ...

Evolution

report

Feb 12, 2025

240

China Jurassic fossil discovery sheds light on bird origin

A research team led by Professor Wang Min from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered two bird fossils in Jurassic-era rocks from Fujian Province ...

Evolution

Feb 12, 2025

Deep-sea shrimp have evolved enhanced vision for the bioluminescent world, study finds

Light is a primary driver of visual evolution in shrimp, according to new FIU research published this week in Nature Communications.

Plants & Animals

Feb 11, 2025

Trace fossils reveal clues to evolution of tiny organisms in deep marine ecosystems

Dr. Luis Buatois (Ph.D.) traces a series of hexagons with his finger, following the path carved by tiny organisms millions of years ago that have long since left these unique fossils in their wake.

Evolution

Feb 11, 2025

Sex as a formality: Study shows male stick insects have lost their reproductive function

While most animals reproduce sexually, some species rely solely on females for parthenogenetic reproduction. Even in these species, rare males occasionally appear. Whether these males retain reproductive functions is a key ...

Evolution

Feb 11, 2025

181

Decoding the giant Y of Silene latifolia: Evolutionary insights into an unusually large sex chromosome

A high-quality genome assembly of Silene latifolia was generated by researchers at CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and collaborating institutions. The team identified extensive recombination suppression, large-scale ...

Evolution

report

Feb 11, 2025

Starfish skeletons provide key insights into bone evolution

Researchers at the Biomimetics-Innovation-Center, Hochschule Bremen—City University of Applied Sciences, have made pioneering discoveries about how mechanical stress shapes the ultrastructure of starfish skeletons. Published ...

Plants & Animals

Feb 11, 2025

103

Newly discovered algae species offers insights into plant evolution and UV protection

An international research team has described a newly discovered algae species Streptofilum arcticum and its cell functions for the first time in a recent publication in the journal Environmental Microbiology.

Evolution

Feb 11, 2025