Biological coevolution is a reciprocal evolutionary process in which two or more species exert selective pressures on each other, leading to genetically correlated changes in their traits over time. This process can occur in diverse interaction types, including antagonistic (e.g., host–parasite, predator–prey) and mutualistic (e.g., pollinator–plant, symbiont–host) relationships. Coevolution involves feedback loops where adaptive changes in one lineage alter the fitness landscape of its partner(s), often generating evolutionary arms races, trait matching, or specialization. It is typically studied using comparative phylogenetics, quantitative genetics, and empirical experiments to test for correlated trait evolution and specificity of interaction.
An international team of ornithologists has overturned one of the oldest assumptions in natural history by directly documenting how common cuckoos lay their eggs in host nests located inside cavities. The findings, published ...
Plants & Animals
18 hours ago
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Many insects have lived in close symbiosis with bacteria for millions of years, during which time the bacteria have provided them with vital nutrients, making the mutualistic relationship so close that neither partner can ...
Evolution
Apr 1, 2026
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A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution connects plant and insect physiology, chemical ecology, molecular function, and evolutionary analysis to offer a new perspective on plant–insect coevolution. The research ...
Evolution
Mar 30, 2026
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Milkweed has found a new strategy in its epic evolutionary battle with monarch butterflies: upgrading its toxins to outmaneuver the monarch's resistance. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...
Evolution
Mar 19, 2026
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39
Most of us have heard the phrase "it takes a village" when it comes to childcare. This age-old saying holds true for some songbirds, and a new study has found that this "village" has evolutionary consequences for their songs.
Evolution
Mar 13, 2026
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37
Scientists at the University of East Anglia (U.K.) have uncovered a hidden link between gut health and the immune system—all thanks to a tiny island bird. Researchers studied the Seychelles warbler, a small songbird found ...
Ecology
Mar 11, 2026
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Ribosomes are the components of cells that read RNA and build proteins. Without the ribosome, the chemistry of life would still be catalyzed by raw RNA. And yet the origin of the ribosome remains a mystery. In a Perspective ...
Evolution
Feb 24, 2026
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76
Rove beetles have evolved a neat trick to survive. They cloak themselves in ant pheromones, allowing them to enter and remain undetected within ant colonies. But it comes with a catch. Once a rove beetle lineage evolves this ...
In Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking-Glass," Alice is stuck in a never-ending race with the Red Queen yet never gains a lead. "It takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place," the Queen says. "Though we ...
Evolution
Jan 27, 2026
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12
European cuckoos lay very different eggs depending on the host species. Genetic analyses have revealed how this adaptation is inherited without leading to speciation.
Evolution
Oct 31, 2025
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