Biological evolution is the heritable change in characteristics of biological populations over successive generations, driven by mechanisms such as mutation, recombination, genetic drift, gene flow, and natural and sexual selection. It operates through changes in allele frequencies within gene pools, constrained and shaped by developmental, physiological, and ecological contexts. Evolutionary processes generate adaptation, diversification, and extinction, producing hierarchical patterns from microevolutionary shifts within populations to macroevolutionary dynamics among lineages. At the molecular level, evolution involves sequence variation, genomic rearrangements, and changes in gene regulation, which collectively underlie phenotypic diversity and the emergence of complex biological organization.
Saliva is a bodily fluid most of us take for granted despite the significant roles it plays: aiding in digestion, maintaining strong teeth and defending against oral disease. However, the evolution of human saliva has been ...
Evolution
Nov 7, 2025
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The bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a haunting presence in many hospitals in the United States, where more than one in 100 patients are treated for A. baumannii infections. This species of bacteria is known ...
Evolution
Nov 6, 2025
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67
Genomes are key to unlocking life's evolutionary history. The presence and absence of certain genetic sequences and mutations can give us clues to the order in which species diverge. However, even state-of-the-art methods ...
Evolution
Nov 5, 2025
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Modern humans inherited part of their ancestry from multiple, genetically distinct Denisovan groups through interbreeding events. However, the history of contact with Denisovans remains unclear.
Evolution
Nov 4, 2025
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A team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology has discovered a new class of bacterial mobile genetic elements that use giant viruses—known as jumbo phages—to move between cells. The work, published in the ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 3, 2025
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28
The next time you go wild swimming, whether in a lake, river or sea, you are probably sharing the water with one of your tiniest, yet closest relatives.
Evolution
Oct 29, 2025
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Could yeast and humans be any more different? Going by looks alone, probably not. But peering into our genomes reveals surprising similarities. That's because we share a common ancestor called LECA (last eukaryotic common ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 28, 2025
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For billions of years, bacteria have waged an ongoing arms race against viruses, evolving many defense mechanisms against the infectious invaders. Now, these evolutions may offer innovative ways for humans to fight viruses, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 27, 2025
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29
New research has revealed how more upright limb postures helped ancient reptiles overcome the biomechanical constraints of body size, paving the way for the evolution of larger sizes in archosaurs—a group that includes crocodilians, ...
Evolution
Oct 24, 2025
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66
Body size evolution has long been a core topic in paleontological research. Cope's rule describes the tendency for body size to increase during the evolution of many lineages. However, a new study focusing on bryozoans, a ...
Evolution
Oct 23, 2025
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