Tiny fossils reveal how shrinking was essential for successful evolution
A new study published today in Nature shows that getting smaller was a key factor contributing to the exceptional evolution of mammals over the last 200 million years.
Sep 17, 2018
in
Biomechanics of chewing depend more on animal size, not diet
Chewing: We don't think about it, we just do it. But biologists don't know a lot about how chewing behavior leaves telltale signs on the underlying bones. To find out, researchers at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical ...
Getting to the roots of our ancient cousin's diet
Food needs to be broken down in the mouth before it can be swallowed and digested further. How this is being done depends on many factors, such as the mechanical properties of the foods and the morphology of the masticatory ...
Rare skull of elephant ancestor unveiled in France
A French farmer kept quiet for years after stumbling across the skull of an extinct ancestor of the elephant near the Pyrenees mountains, the Natural History Museum of Toulouse has told AFP.
Research shows how to improve the bond between implants and bone
Research carried out recently at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in Saskatoon has revealed promising information about how to build a better dental implant, one that integrates more readily with bone to reduce the risk of ...
Extinct monitor lizard had four eyes, fossil evidence shows
Researchers reporting in Current Biology on April 2 have evidence that an extinct species of monitor lizard had four eyes, a first among known jawed vertebrates. Today, only the jawless lampreys have four eyes.
Stone tools in India suggest earlier human exit from Africa
Just a week after scientists reported evidence that our species left Africa earlier than we thought, another discovery is suggesting the date might be pushed back further.
A spider that hunts other spiders: 18 new species of this bizarre Madagascar arachnid are unveiled
An unusual spider lurks in Madagascar's rainforests.
Stem cell scientists chew on the mysteries of jaw development
Scientists in the USC Stem Cell laboratory of Gage Crump have revealed how key genes guide the development of the jaw in zebrafish. These findings may offer clues for understanding craniofacial anomalies in human patients, ...
Ancient fish scales and vertebrate teeth share an embryonic origin
In biology, one long-running debate has teeth: whether ancient fish scales moved into the mouth with the origin of jaws, or if the tooth had its own evolutionary inception.
