Independent evolutionary origins of vertebrate dentitions
The origins of a pretty smile have long been sought in the fearsome jaws of living sharks which have been considered living fossils reflecting the ancestral condition for vertebrate tooth development and inference of its evolution. However, this view.....»»
Study analyzes potato-pathogen "arms race" after Irish potato famine
In an examination of the genetic material found in historic potato leaves, North Carolina State University researchers reveal more about the tit-for-tat evolutionary changes occurring in both potato plants and the pathogen that caused the 1840s Irish.....»»
Memo to the Supreme Court: Clean Air Act targeted CO2 as climate pollutant, study says
New paper digs into congressional archives to settle a legal debate. Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Rudy Sulgan) This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that c.....»»
Born to modulate: Researchers reveal origins of climate-controlling particles
Aerosol particles are tiny. Swirling suspended in the air around us, most are smaller than the smallest bug, thinner than the thinnest hair on your head, gossamer specks practically invisible to the naked eye. Newly formed ones are nano-sized. Yet th.....»»
Scientists pin down the origins of the moon"s tenuous atmosphere
While the moon lacks any breathable air, it does host a barely-there atmosphere. Since the 1980s, astronomers have observed a very thin layer of atoms bouncing over the moon's surface. This delicate atmosphere—technically known as an "exosphere"—.....»»
The effects of whole genome duplication on the plant metabolome
Whole genome duplication (WGD) is a common mutation in plants with profound evolutionary potential. While it is well-known that an increase in genetic material can lead to larger cell sizes, the impact of gene dosage multiplication on the metabolome.....»»
Researchers demonstrate mechanism that may have stabilized the first RNA molecules
The origins of life remain a major mystery. How were complex molecules able to form and remain intact for prolonged periods without disintegrating? A team at ORIGINS, a Munich-based Cluster of Excellence, has demonstrated a mechanism that could have.....»»
How duplicated genomes helped grasses diversify and thrive
Grasses cover about 40% of the Earth's land surface, thriving in a multitude of environments. The evolutionary success of this plant family, which includes rice, maize, wheat and bamboo, likely results from a history of whole-genome duplications, acc.....»»
Mass extinction 66 million years ago triggered rapid evolution of bird genomes, study finds
Shortly after an asteroid slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, life for non-avian dinosaurs ended, but the evolutionary story for the early ancestors of birds began......»»
Scientists discover entirely new wood type that could be highly efficient at carbon storage
Researchers undertaking an evolutionary survey of the microscopic structure of wood from some of the world's most iconic trees and shrubs have discovered an entirely new type of wood......»»
Stem cell harmony: How solanaceae plants maintain homeostasis through receptor compensation
A pivotal study sheds light on the evolutionary conservation of stem cell homeostasis in Solanaceae, revealing how receptor compensation mechanisms ensure the continuous and orderly formation of plant organs. This research uncovers the genetic interp.....»»
Researchers create a cell atlas of the regenerating liver
The liver has a remarkable ability to regenerate. This property is crucial for maintaining organ function and recovery after injury or surgery. Scientists from the University of Leipzig Medical Center, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthro.....»»
The first farmers often made landscapes more biodiverse, providing lessons for rewilding today
You don't need to read the news or scroll through Instagram for long to stumble across the latest example of a rare and beautiful species that has gone extinct. Since AD1500, at least 705 vertebrate species and 571 plant species have died out......»»
Scientists investigate nonlinear current response in perovskite X-ray detectors
A research team led by Dr. Li Yunlong at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences delved into the origins of nonlinear current response in polycrystalline metal halide perovskite X-ray detectors. Their s.....»»
Discovery sheds light on the origins of matter in the early universe
The early universe was 250,000 times hotter than the core of our sun. That's far too hot to form the protons and neutrons that make up everyday matter. Scientists recreate the conditions of the early universe in particle accelerators by smashing atom.....»»
Invasive, blood-sucking fish "may hold the key to understanding where we came from," say biologists
One of just two vertebrates without a jaw, sea lampreys that are wreaking havoc in Midwestern fisheries are simultaneously helping scientists understand the origins of two important stem cells that drove the evolution of vertebrates......»»
Trace the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron in new Transformers One trailer
Before they became bitter enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron were once friends. See how they became enemies in the new trailer for Transformers One......»»
Is X-Men Origins: Wolverine really that bad?
Now that Deadpool & Wolverine is nearly in theaters, it's time to ask if X-Men Origins: Wolverine deserves a critical reappraisal 15 years after its release......»»
Bat evolution study supports gliding-to-flying hypothesis
In new research published in PeerJ, researchers from the University of Washington, University of Texas at Austin and Oregon Institute of Technology, led by undergraduate student Abby Burtner, have advanced our understanding of the evolutionary origin.....»»
Research team reconstructs evolutionary history and biological adaptation of Han Chinese people on the Mongolian Plateau
A Chinese research team analyzed 5,583 modern and ancient individuals from an integrated genomic dataset to reconstruct the population evolutionary history and biological adaptation of the Han Chinese population across the Mongolian Plateau......»»
Of ants and trees: "Evolutionary déjà vu" in the tropical rainforest
Ants are famous for their regimented and complex social behaviors. In the tropics, they are also famous for forming mutualisms with plants. Certain species of trees have conspicuous hollow swellings that house ants, often feeding the ants with specia.....»»