Biological adaptation is the evolutionary process through which heritable traits that enhance an organism’s fitness become more prevalent in a population over generations under specific environmental conditions. It operates primarily via natural selection acting on genetic variation, including mutations, recombination, and gene flow, and is constrained by developmental, genetic, and phylogenetic factors. Adaptations can be morphological, physiological, or behavioral and are typically characterized by increased survival or reproductive success in a given niche. The process is dynamic and context-dependent, such that traits advantageous in one environment may be neutral or deleterious in another, contributing to diversification and speciation.
Bats are often cast as the unseen night-time stewards of nature, flitting through the dark to control pest insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds. But behind their silent contributions lies a remarkable and underappreciated ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 25, 2025
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The existence of ant colonies was a mystery even to the famous naturalist Charles Darwin. How could evolution produce workers that cannot reproduce? Darwin assumed that workers increase the reproductive success of their queen, ...
Evolution
Jun 24, 2025
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Researchers have discovered that the genes related to extracellular matrix (ECM) and the Wnt signaling pathway characterize the independently acquired lip hypertrophy in cichlids of the East African Great Lakes. Through advanced ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 23, 2025
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As the climate warms, many species are shifting northward into areas that were previously too cold for them. A study, "Winters restrict a climate change-driven butterfly range expansion despite rapid evolution of seasonal ...
Evolution
Jun 23, 2025
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An international team of biologists, led by Wageningen University & Research, has demonstrated that predators have a direct and rapid influence on how prey species adapt and evolve. In a controlled experiment with guppies, ...
Evolution
Jun 23, 2025
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The 2025 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, which took place from March 10–14 in The Woodlands, Texas, witnessed some very interesting proposals for space exploration and science. In addition to bold mission concepts, ...
Astrobiology
Apr 7, 2025
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To effectively adapt to change, living organisms rely on their ability to rapidly detect and process sensory information in their surroundings. The sensory information available at a given time continuously changes, which ...
