Trapped in amber: Fossilized dinosaur-era crab bridges evolutionary gap
Discovery pushes back when crabs came to land, freshwater to 100 million years ago. Enlarge Once upon a time, during the Cretaceous period, a tiny crab wandered out of the water onto land and somehow got trapped in amber, whi.....»»
Study shows cuckoos evolve to look like their hosts—and form new species in the process
The theory of coevolution says that when closely interacting species drive evolutionary changes in each other this can lead to speciation—the evolution of new species. But until now, real-world evidence for this has been scarce......»»
It"s hard to find fossil skin, but a rare discovery reveals clues about the evolution from water to land
Fossilized skin and other soft tissues are exceedingly rare, and it is only under special conditions that these rarest of fossils are preserved......»»
From ashes to alerts: Science helps protect Colorado travelers
In the summer of 2021, travelers in Colorado's Glenwood Canyon were safely evacuated before massive mounds of mud and rocks buried highways and destroyed bridges, thanks to a debris flow warning system developed in part by the U.S. Geological Survey......»»
Small birds boast range of flight styles thanks to evolutionary edge
Small birds have explored a wide variety of styles of flight, ranging from hovering hummingbirds to bounding sparrows to soaring swifts and swallows. A new Cornell University study could explain why......»»
Partial skeleton of a previously unknown medium-sized theropod dinosaur found in Siberia
Study of a partial skeleton found embedded in a rock has resulted in the discovery of a new species of dinosaur. Using a variety of technology and techniques, researchers affiliated with several institutions in the Russian Federation found that the f.....»»
On repeat: Biologists observe recurring evolutionary changes, over time, in stick insects
A long-standing debate among evolutionary scientists goes something like this: Does evolution happen in a predictable pattern or does it depend on chance events and contingency? That is, if you could turn back the clock, as celebrated scientist Steph.....»»
Abelisauroid, a dinosaur with very tiny arms, identified in Argentina
A team of paleontologists from Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, has identified a new species of abelisauroid dinosaur. Th.....»»
Researchers reconstruct genome of extinct species of flightless bird that once roamed the islands of New Zealand
A team of evolutionary biologists at Harvard University, working with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, East Carolina University, Osaka University and the University of Toronto, has reconstructed the genome of an e.....»»
Researchers reveal evolutionary origins of appetite by studying simple nervous system of Hydra
Over the course of evolution, living organisms have gradually developed more complex nervous systems in order to coordinate increasingly complex sensory, motor and cognitive functions and to control the associated behavior......»»
Researchers discover distinct life cycle stages of the ectosymbiotic DPANN archaeon Nanobdella aerobiophila
Archaea are ubiquitous microorganisms whose evolution shaped the biosphere of Earth. Their evolutionary paths are truly fascinating. A great example is an ectosymbiotic lifestyle which is found among DPANN archaea......»»
Australian study proves "humans are planet"s most frightening predator"
Australia lacks fearsome large carnivores like lions and wolves, and the relative lack of fear that marsupials like kangaroos and wallabies show to dogs (and other introduced carnivores) has been attributed to a lack of evolutionary experience with l.....»»
Researchers discover hidden step in dinosaur feather evolution
Paleontologists at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland have discovered that some feathered dinosaurs had scaly skin like reptiles today, thus shedding new light on the evolutionary transition from scales to feathers......»»
Researchers find that refrigerating or air-drying soil samples for future studies retains important microbial details
Post-doctoral researcher Joe Edwards and graduate student Sarah Love, both in the University of Tennessee at Knoxville's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, have published published findings this spring that can save fellow researchers a.....»»
How saber-toothed tigers acquired their long upper canine teeth
An international team led by scientists from the University of Liège has investigated the evolutionary patterns behind the development of saber teeth, with some unexpected results along the way. Their study has been published in the journal Current.....»»
How attackers deliver malware to Foxit PDF Reader users
Threat actors are taking advantage of the flawed design of Foxit PDF Reader’s alerts to deliver malware via booby-trapped PDF documents, Check Point researchers have warned. Exploiting the issue The researchers have analyzed several campaigns u.....»»
Evolutionary history shapes variation of wood density: Study
Ecology and evolutionary biology suggest that closely related species are more likely to exhibit morphological and functional similarities compared to distantly related species. Each tree species represents a unique genetic reservoir and is a product.....»»
Is it a bird or a dinosaur? Fossils from Teylers Museum in Netherlands secretly visit UK"s synchrotron
The feathered limbs, sharp teeth and claws of the oldest known bird-like dinosaurs, the Archaeopteryx have fascinated naturalists and paleontologists including Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin who propelled the species to fame especially following pu.....»»
Genetic study finds early summer fishing can have an evolutionary impact, resulting in smaller salmon
Atlantic salmon are caught by fisheries when the fish are migrating to spawn. A new study led by the University of Helsinki explored how salmon caught at different times during their spawning migration differ from each other genetically. The study on.....»»
US restorationist solves 60-million-year-old dinosaur fossil "puzzles"
Before a T. rex can tower over museum visitors or a Triceratops can show off its huge horns, dinosaur fossils must first be painstakingly reconstructed—cleaned, fit together and even painted......»»
Researchers study the intricacies of homologous recombination and abnormal chromosome bridges
Keeping the genetic information stored in genomic DNA intact during the cell division cycle is crucial for almost all lifeforms. Extensive DNA damage invariably causes various adverse genomic rearrangements, which can lead to cell death in the best c.....»»