EVOLUTION

9 Photos That Show the Enduring Power of Evolution

A new book gathers 200 beautiful images showing evolution’s influence on the flora and fauna of the world.

Researchers Reclassify Itsy-Bitsy, Prehistoric “Beardogs”

Two specimens of the Chihuahua-sized animals have just rearranged the branches of the carnivore family tree.

What Can Urban Wildlife Teach Us About Pollution?

Pigeons are like urban canaries in a coal mine. But they're not the only ones cluing us in.

We Thought There Was One Giraffe Species—But There Are Four

According to a study of the spotted giant’s DNA published today, Giraffa camelopardalis isn't alone.

Nope, that's not a snake. It's a glass lizard.

5 Differences Between Snakes and Legless Lizards

If a limbless reptile like the one above crosses your path, it’s obviously a snake, right? Maybe not.

Fig Pollination Is Incredible (And Probably Results In You Eating Mummified Wasps)

The fruit and its wasp have been evolving together for millions of years.

11 Naturally Selected Facts About the Galápagos Islands

In 1835, Charles Darwin arrived at the island chain that would shape his theory of natural selection.

Hot, Humid Weather May Have Helped Shape Human Noses

The nose is part of our body’s climate control system, helping us warm up or shed heat as necessary.

How Cyanobacteria Created (and Nearly Destroyed) Life on Earth

A good reminder that not every life form is a fan of oxygen.

Research Sheds Light on the Connection Between Fingers and Fins

The two have more in common than we previously thought.

Why Does Reading in the Car Make You Feel Queasy?

Short answer: Riding in a car can may make your brain think you’ve been poisoned, and reading makes it worse.

An Orangutan in Indianapolis Has Learned to Ape Human Speech

Rocky’s ability to reproduce human-like noises contradicts the idea that apes can only ever use the sounds they’ve always used.

Scientist Says Our Oldest Ancestor May Have Been Only ‘Half Alive’

The earliest known ancestor of all living things made its home on a hydrothermal vent, subsisting on hydrogen and metal.

The University of Texas at Austin. Illustration by Jenna Luecke.

Our Gut Microbiome Evolved Alongside Us, Study Finds

The types of bacteria that colonize our digestive tract may depend more on evolution than the environment around us.

kadavoor via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Male-Killing Microbe Meddles With Butterfly Mating

In time, two closely related populations of African Queen butterflies may become entirely different species.

8 Times Very Different Animals Evolved Very Similar Traits

It's called convergent evolution. When you have a good idea, you stick with it.

You Can Now Visit the Bedroom Where Charles Darwin Died

Historical curators restored the room to its original late-1850s appearance.

Flickr, NOAA Ocean Explorer // CC BY-SA 2.0

Bioluminescence Evolved in Fish at Least 27 Times, Scientists Say

Study shows the ability to glow has arisen many more times than was previously believed.

Robert Pittman, NOAA via Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Orca Genome Reveals a Cultural History of the Species

Researchers who have sequenced the orca genome say the cetaceans’ DNA tells a tale of culture, socialization, and dispersal through the world’s oceans.

Scientists Identify Gene Associated with Butterfly Wing Coloration

Mutations in and expression of the cortex gene may control coloration in numerous species.

MorphoLab, Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich

Study Shows That Childbearing Hips Are a Temporary Phenomenon

A new study shows that a woman’s pelvis expands during childbearing years, then returns to its previous shape.

Human Limbs and Fish Gills May Trace Back to the Same Gene

And that gene just so happens to be called "sonic hedgehog."

Scientist Creates Cover for Darwin's 'Origin of Species,' Made From Bacteria

Dr. Simon Park used a cellulose-producing bacterium to make the paper, and "illustrated" it using different-colored organisms.

Steven G. Johnson via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Scientists Stunned by the Discovery of Sea Walnuts' Buttholes

Scientists at a recent ctenophore conference were astonished to see video of comb jellies pooping through tiny anuses.

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