A plague of locusts has descended on East Africa, devouring crops, trees, and pasture as they move. The first generation, which emerged at the end of last year, numbered in the hundreds of billions. Left unchecked, locusts ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 1, 2020
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2
From the mythical minotaur to the mule, creatures created from merging two or more distinct organisms – hybrids – have played defining roles in human history and culture. However, not all hybrids are as fantastic as the ...
Evolution
Jun 5, 2020
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26
Evolutionary biologists have for a long time disagreed on the rate of evolution when new species emerge. Are new species the result of gradual changes—as Charles Darwin suggested—or is evolution speeding up for short ...
Evolution
Jun 3, 2020
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Why is sex so popular? The question of why so many organisms reproduce sexually has mystified evolutionary biologists since before Darwin, who wrote, "The whole subject is as yet hidden in darkness." In a recent article in ...
Evolution
May 21, 2020
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6
What effect does extinction of species have on the evolution of surviving species? Evolutionary biologists have investigated this question by conducting a field experiment with a leaf galling fly and its predatory enemies. ...
Evolution
May 4, 2020
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45
Biologists have long hoped to understand the nature of the earliest living organisms on Earth. If they could, they might then be able to say something about how, when, and where life arose on Earth, and perhaps by extension, ...
Evolution
Apr 22, 2020
4
466
Unless it happens to be allergy season, most people don't give a lot of thought to pollen. But new research might change the way we look at a field of flowers.
Evolution
Apr 16, 2020
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156
The one thing about species that most people probably remember from high school science class is that when it comes to sex, they generally stick to their own kind. Hybrids happen, but they are usually thought to be accidental, ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 20, 2020
1
1228
Showy peacock feathers, extravagant elk antlers and powerful crayfish claws are just a few examples of the ostentatious animal extremes used to compete for and attract mates, a process called sexual selection.
Plants & Animals
Mar 17, 2020
0
178
Studying the inner ear of apes and humans could uncover new information on our species' evolutionary relationships, suggests a new study published today in eLife.
Plants & Animals
Mar 3, 2020
0
351
