Crocodile evolution rebooted by Ice Age glaciations
Crocodiles are resilient animals from a lineage that has survived for over 200 million years. Skilled swimmers, crocodiles can travel long distances and live in freshwater to marine environments. But they can't roam far overland. American crocodiles.....»»
Simulations provide potential explanation for mysterious gap in size distribution of super-Earths
Ordinarily, planets in evolved planetary systems, such as the solar system, follow stable orbits around their central star. However, many indications suggest that some planets might depart from their birthplaces during their early evolution by migrat.....»»
Is there a typical rate of cultural evolution?
Are cultural evolution rates similar across human societies? The emerging field of Cliodynamics uses mathematical models to study history......»»
Innovation in stone tool technology involved multiple stages at the time of modern human dispersals, study finds
A study led by researchers at the Nagoya University Museum in Japan may change how we understand the cultural evolution of Homo sapiens at the time of their dispersal across Eurasia about 50,000 to 40,000 years ago. These findings challenge tradition.....»»
Microfluidic environments alter microbe behaviors, opening potential for engineering their social evolution
Microbes are social beings. Much like humans, they communicate and cooperate with each other to solve problems bigger than themselves. In a microbial community, there will even be free riders and others that police them......»»
Report: Mac security threats on the rise, here’s what to watch out for
Malwarebytes has released its latest report digging into the state of malware to start 2024. The findings include which countries see the most ransomware attacks, the evolution of malware over the last year, how Mac threats are growing, which Mac th.....»»
How food availability could catalyze cultural transmission in wild orangutans
The proverb "necessity is the mother of invention" has been used to describe the source from which our cultural evolution springs. After all, need in times of scarcity has forced humans to continually invent new technologies that have driven the rema.....»»
New E. coli strain will accelerate evolution of the genes of your choice
Strain eliminates the trade-offs of a high mutation rate. Enlarge (credit: Rodolfo Parulan Jr.) Genetic mutations are essential for innovation and evolution, yet too many—or the wrong ones—can be fatal. So researcher.....»»
The surprisingly simple recipe for starting to grow a limb
How do organisms form limbs in the womb? Scientists have been striving to answer this question not only to deepen our understanding of evolution and embryonic development, but also to help make the dream of regenerating partial or entire limbs a real.....»»
Smells like evolution: Fruit flies reveal surprises in chemical sensing
A new study in Nature Communications unveils the hidden world of sensory evolution in fruit flies. By delving into the genes and cells behind their delicate noses and tongues, researchers have discovered surprising secrets about how these tiny insect.....»»
AI helps reveal the ancient origin story of floral colors
New research led by Monash University experts used computer simulations to reveal the ancient link between bees and the evolution of colors in flowers. The research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, simulated the landscape of the firs.....»»
Fruit flies give further insight into evolution of male genitalia driven by sexual selection
Fruit flies have provided scientists with new insight into the genetic basis for the rapid evolution of male external genitalia driven by sexual selection......»»
Tracing the evolution of sign languages using computer modeling
An international team of linguistics experts has traced the origins of the most common modern sign languages using a computer model to compare them against one another. The research is published in the journal Science......»»
Scientists pinpoint growth of brain"s cerebellum as key to evolution of bird flight
Evolutionary biologists at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have combined PET scans of modern pigeons along with studies of dinosaur fossils to help answer an enduring question in biology: How did the brains of birds evolve to enable them to fly?.....»»
European immigrants introduced farming to prehistoric North Africa, new research shows
The Neolithic age—when agriculture and animal farming were adopted—has become one of the most widely studied periods of social and economic transition in recent years. It was a period that drove great change in the evolution of human society......»»
Decay of sunspot pair elucidates properties of nearby moving magnetic features
Scientists studying sunspots have found important clues about magnetic features in their decay that will help understand the evolution and real origin of these mysterious magnetic phenomena. The findings are published in The Astrophysical Journal......»»
ALMA observations: Researchers reveal dynamic view of massive protocluster evolution
A team of researchers has jointly launched the ALMA Survey of Star formation and Evolution of Massive Protoclusters with Blue-profiles (ASSEMBLE) project. They revealed the growth in mass and density of cluster members, along with increasing proximit.....»»
3.5 billion-year-old hydrothermal vent sediments offers clues to life"s origin
Researchers from The University of Western Australia examined 3.5 billion-year-old hydrothermal vent sediments and discovered clues about the origin and early evolution of life......»»
Researchers map genome for cats, dolphins, birds, and dozens of other animals
Researchers mapped genetic blueprints for 51 species including cats, dolphins, kangaroos, penguins, sharks, and turtles, a discovery that deepens our understanding of evolution and the links between humans and animals......»»
Inner ear of 6-million-year-old ape fossil reveals clues about the evolution of human movement
Humans and our closest relatives, living apes, display a remarkable diversity of types of locomotion—from walking upright on two legs to climbing in trees and walking using all four limbs......»»
Astronomers analyze masses, orbital properties and atmospheric features of six exoplanets
A recently discovered solar system with six confirmed exoplanets and a possible seventh is boosting astronomers' knowledge of planet formation and evolution. Relying on a globe-spanning arsenal of observatories and instruments, a team led by research.....»»