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.
Researchers at Washington State University have discovered a molecular "winter lock" that keeps animals in a less active winter state until favorable conditions return, a discovery that could improve pest control and lead ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 18, 2026
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46
Scientists have long thought humans have a uniquely difficult birth compared with other primates. And it's true that, from an evolutionary perspective, we face an obstetrical dilemma. As we evolved to walk on two feet, our ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 16, 2026
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11
Due to artificial irrigation and rising temperatures, the concentration of salts (including sodium chloride, or "table salt") is increasing in soils worldwide. This is not only an environmental problem but also a challenge ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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9
The UK Space Agency and space startup Vast just signed an agreement to send Paralympic sprinter and below-knee amputee John McFall into orbit as early as 2027. Most coverage framed it as a victory for inclusion. As a space ...
Space Exploration
Jul 15, 2026
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17
Horses know a predator when they see one—even if it's only on a video screen while they're standing in a stall, with no sounds, smells or previous experience providing context for what they're viewing, a new study suggests.
Plants & Animals
Jul 15, 2026
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8
LMU researchers demonstrate that oxygenic photosynthesis can occur with only a single photosystem, overturning a fundamental principle of biology.
Cell & Microbiology
Jul 15, 2026
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8
Within every muscle of every living species with a backbone, a protein called myosin tugs on a partner protein to generate a muscle contraction. This function, discovered in mammals a century ago, has been presumed by scientists ...
Evolution
Jul 14, 2026
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27
New research involving Queen Mary University of London reveals that amphibians can change what they eat to cope with rising temperatures, but that this natural survival strategy has limits.
Plants & Animals
Jul 14, 2026
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15
Plants do not wait hours to respond to intense sunlight—they react within minutes. Researchers at Bielefeld University and the Australian National University have discovered a new signaling pathway that enables plants to ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jul 14, 2026
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8
Pollinators—including bees, flies, wasps, moths, butterflies and some nectar-loving birds—are a cornerstone of our natural environment. By helping plants reproduce, they keep our ecosystems healthy and ensure we can grow ...
Ecology
Jul 13, 2026
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15
