Life history traits are integrated biological characteristics of an organism that determine the timing and allocation of resources to growth, reproduction, and survival, and thus shape its life cycle. They include age and size at maturity, fecundity, reproductive schedule (e.g., semelparity vs. iteroparity), offspring size and number, growth rate, and lifespan. As a composite process outcome of development, physiology, and behavior under genetic and environmental control, life history traits are central to life history theory, which models how natural selection optimizes trade-offs among these traits to maximize fitness in specific ecological contexts.
The biggest jump in body size among our ancestors happened around 2–2.5 million years ago, with the appearance of Homo rudolfensis or Homo erectus/ergaster, rather than gradually across the whole human family tree.
Evolution
Jun 22, 2026
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Scientists have discovered that the optimal diet for male fruit flies may depend strongly on whether they are reproducing, challenging long-standing assumptions about nutrition and aging. Led by researchers from the University ...
Ecology
Jun 18, 2026
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A moss gene previously thought to have been inactive actually plays a key role in its evolutionary success, researchers from the University of Bristol have discovered. The new paper published in Current Biology investigated ...
Evolution
Jun 18, 2026
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For decades, scientists have been studying the cognition of great apes to understand how our own complex cognitive abilities evolved. Much of the research is based on the idea that if a particular ability—like using gestures ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 17, 2026
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A review article now published in Nature Reviews Genetics brings together evolutionary theory, comparative genomics and large-scale human genetics to explain why we age and why aging rates differ among individuals and species. ...
Evolution
Jun 11, 2026
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129
A new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research, titled "Factors Influencing Nestling Sex Ratios of Suburban and Rural Red-Shouldered Hawks, 2004–2016," finds that hawk parents prioritize producing female offspring ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 2, 2026
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11
Spotted hyenas live in hierarchically organized groups (clans). An individual's dominance over another determines priority access to resources such as food or mating partners, and thus reproductive success. However, the rank ...
Plants & Animals
May 28, 2026
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Bats are the only mammals that can actively fly, enabling many species to perform seasonal migrations. In migratory birds, remaining airborne for many hours is supported by burning fatty acids, something most mammals are ...
Plants & Animals
May 27, 2026
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22
If the eastern red-backed salamander has an equivalent of Usain Bolt, Sophia Zaslow is determined to find it. Since her undergraduate years, the Binghamton University doctoral student in biological sciences has conducted ...
Plants & Animals
May 26, 2026
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14
New research from Queen Mary University of London shows how extreme seasonal patterns are causing rainforest butterflies to adapt their reproductive strategies at a rapid pace, with implications for species resilience under ...
Plants & Animals
May 26, 2026
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