EVOLUTION

An artist’s rendering of what Lucy may have looked like in life.

On the Origin of Lucy: How One Extraordinary Fossil Helped Alter Our View of Human Evolution

Lucy walked on her own two feet. Scientists weren’t expecting that.

Chimpanzees vs. Bonobos: What’s the Difference?

They basically share a genome, but chimps and bonobos have some not-so-subtle differences.

Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, the site of humankind's earliest ancestors.

8 Facts about Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind”

The gorge in northern Tanzania has yielded many of the oldest fossils of humankind, shedding new light on our ancient ancestors.

New Fossils Add to Mystery Surrounding the “Hobbit,” Our Smallest Human Ancestor

A fragment of an arm bone found on Flores, Indonesia, suggests that some of our human ancestors were even smaller than we thought.

Detail of a diorama of a Neanderthal mother and child at the Moravian Provincial Museum in Brno, Czech Republic.

Neanderthals Cared for a Child with Down Syndrome

A fossilized ear bone supports the idea that Neanderthals helped raise the child collectively and altruistically.

Alpacas vs. Llamas: What’s the Difference?

They’re both in the camel family and live in South America, but alpacas and llamas aren’t the same species.

Unlovable Sea Lampreys Might Share Our Fight-or-Flight Instinct

The alien-looking, bloodsucking fish have cells that may form the same rudimentary nervous system we have.

A replica of the Denisovan finger bone discovered in 2010.

9 Facts About the Denisovans, Our Mysterious Human Ancestor

The Denisovans went extinct around 30,000 years ago. Scientists are just beginning to unravel their genetic legacy.

Why Do Some Birds Sing, While Others Caw?

Birds are a noisy bunch, and there's a lot of variation when it comes to avian vocalizations.

Cave Paintings / Gonzalo Azumendi via Getty

Surprising Misconceptions About Early Humans

In this episode of Misconceptions, host Justin Dodd breaks down some common myths about our early human ancestors—and what makes our species, Homo sapiens, so different from them.

No, the 'Australopithecus afarensis' specimen nicknamed Lucy is not a "missing link."

7 Misconceptions About Evolution

“Survival of the fittest” is Darwin 101. But did you know that Charles Darwin didn’t actually coin that phase? Let’s explore some common myths and misconceptions about evolution.

Why Do We Have Eyebrows?

Eyebrows are the Swiss Army knife of the human face.

Gasping when you're surprised is a quirk of evolution.

Why Do We Gasp When We're Surprised or Alarmed?

Gasping is tied to an innate survival mechanism, hardwired into humans through evolution: the fight-or-flight response.

10 Facts About Wisdom Teeth

Why do we even have them? Let's get to the root of the issue.

Pucker your mouth when you eat something sour? You're not the only one.

Why Do We Make Weird Faces When We Taste Something Sour?

If you can't resist puckering your mouth when you lick a lemon or snack on Sour Patch Kids, you can thank evolution.

Meet the Sea Slug With the Disposable Penis

Fans of '90s alternative music may recall King Missile's big single, "Detachable Penis." While the song may have been silly, it turns out than in the animal world, the idea isn't all that bizarre—at least not to the sea slug Chromodoris reticulata.

Chimpanzees hang out in Gombe National Park.

9 Amazing Facts About Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees share about 98 percent of their genes with humans, but you wouldn't want to invite this side of the family over for dinner.

11 Fascinating Facts About Chipmunks

What do chipmunks eat? Baby birds, occasionally. Do chipmunks hibernate? Yes, but not like bears do.

An illustration of a woolly mammoth, blissfully unaware of its species impending doom.

20 Cool Facts About the Ice Age

How many ice ages have there been so far? The same number of ‘Ice Age’ movies that have been released. (Five.)

Why Do Babies Start Crying As Soon As You Sit Down?

Wondering how to stop a baby from crying? Unfortunately, the answer doesn’t involve sinking into your comfiest armchair.

Gene editing techniques like CRISPR are upending thousands of years of wine-making tradition.

How Gene Editing is Changing the Future of Wine—and Making it Less Likely to Give You a Hangover

Scientists are making ancient French grape vines less susceptible to diseases—and less likely to cause hangovers—through gene editing.

Wolf Puppies Play Fetch, Too, Study Finds

Some wolf puppies will retrieve balls for perfect strangers, suggesting that the species may be genetically predisposed toward the adorable behavior.

10 New Bird Species and Subspecies Discovered on Indonesian Islands

The discovery of 10 bird species and subspecies on three remote islands in Indonesia marks the first time in over a century that so many new birds have been found in such a small area.

The Reason So Many Babies Are Conceived in Winter

Does it seem like a surplus of newborn babies pop up in September? Science has a few explanations why.