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.....»»
Scientists find malaria parasite takes its time within mosquito host to reap an evolutionary advantage
The malaria parasite is a master of adaptation. To complete its life cycle, the parasite must be transmitted from a mosquito to a human and then back to a mosquito again. Over millions of years of evolution, it has adapted perfectly to these two host.....»»
The evolutionary timeline of diminished boric acid and urea transportation in aquaporin 10
Aquaporin (Aqp) 10 water channels in humans allow the free passage of water, glycerol, urea, and boric acid across cells. However, Aqp10.2b in pufferfish allows only the passage of water and glycerol and not urea and boric acid......»»
First in situ documentation of a fossilized megalodon tooth in the deep sea
A small team of oceanographers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S., working with a zoologist from the SNSB-Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, in Germany, has documented the first in situ discovery of a fossilized megalodon tooth in th.....»»
Amber analyses show that insects already had a variety of defense strategies in the Cretaceous
Analyses of amber show that insect larvae were already using a wide variety of tactics to protect themselves from predators 100 million years ago......»»
The Anthropocene condition: Evolving through social–ecological transformations
Drawing together an array of interdisciplinary studies across archaeology, ecology, anthropology, and evolutionary theory, Erle Ellis, professor of geography and environmental systems at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, explains the evolu.....»»
Ribosomal protein exhibits remarkable evolutionary transformation
A team of researchers from the Universities of Newcastle and Umeå has discovered that a ribosomal protein exhibits a remarkable evolutionary transformation, with its three-dimensional structure changing drastically while its sequence remains relativ.....»»
Paleontologist discovers rare soft tissue in fossil of crab
Most animals and plants never fossilize. For those that do, it's usually only hard parts such as bones and shells that preserve. However, in some exceptional cases, soft tissues such as muscles and gills survive the fossilization process and can pres.....»»
Natural gas is actually migrating under permafrost, and could see methane emissions skyrocket if it escapes
Beneath Svalbard's permafrost, millions of cubic meters of methane are trapped—and scientists have now learned that it can migrate beneath the cold seal of the permafrost and escape. A large-scale escape could create a cycle of warming that would s.....»»
Genetic mutations that promote reproduction tend to shorten human lifespan, study shows
A University of Michigan-led study based on a review of genetic and health information from more than 276,000 people finds strong support for a decades-old evolutionary theory that sought to explain aging and senescence......»»
Avian supergene study explores the evolutionary paradox behind the unusual mating strategies of the ruff
In the colorful world of avian courtship, the ruff (Calidris pugnax) is in a league of its own. Breeding in marshes and wet meadows across Eurasia, the males of this medium-sized sandpiper species are well-known for their distinctive mating strategie.....»»
Researchers investigate how climate change drivers reshape ocean methane and nitrous oxide cycles
The ocean is a critical life-support system for our planet through its role in global climate regulation. It absorbs most of the carbon emissions and heat trapped in the atmosphere, which result from human activities. Over the years, this has led to.....»»
Melting fire-ice: Study finds climate change can cause methane to be released from the deep ocean
New research has shown that fire-ice—frozen methane which is trapped as a solid under our oceans—is vulnerable to melting due to climate change and could be released into the sea......»»
Study reveals genes that set humans apart from other primates in cognitive ability
An international team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has uncovered over 100 genes that are common to primate brains but have undergone evolutionary divergence only in humans—and which could be a source of our unique cognitive abili.....»»
The most innovative TV tech of 2023
2023 was more evolutionary than revolutionary for TVs, but MLA OLED tech and wireless TV set the stage for an exciting 2024......»»
How a thumb-sized climate migrant with a giant crab claw is disrupting the Northeast"s Great Marsh ecosystem
Nine years ago, I stood on the muddy banks of the Great Marsh, a salt marsh an hour north of Boston, and pulled a thumb-sized crab with an absurdly large claw out of a burrow. I was looking at a fiddler crab—a species that wasn't supposed to be nor.....»»
Earliest-known fossil mosquito suggests males were bloodsuckers too
Researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology on December 4 have found the earliest-known fossil mosquito in Lower Cretaceous amber from Lebanon. What's more, the well-preserved insects are two males of the same species with piercing mouthpart.....»»
Floral time travel: Flowers were more diverse 100 million years ago than they are today
An international team of researchers led by botanists at the University of Vienna, Austria, has analyzed the morphological diversity of fossilized flowers and compared it with the diversity of living species. They found that flowering plants had alre.....»»
Protection of highly threatened sharks and rays inadequate, study finds
Biodiversity—the total variation of life—is multidimensional. Its study encompasses multiple facets, such as taxonomy (the variety of species), phylogenetics (their evolutionary history) and functionality (the ecological roles that species play i.....»»
"Sea firefly" ostracods demonstrate collective synchrony with bioluminescent mating signals
A team of evolutionary biologists and limnologists affiliated with multiple institutions in the U.S. has described the synchronous bioluminescent signals they observed being produced by a type of marine ostracod (Crustacea; Luxorina). In their paper.....»»
Unlocking long-term genetic memory: Dormant bacterial spores offer key insights into evolutionary survival strategies
A recent study spearheaded by Prof. Sigal Ben Yehuda and her team at Hebrew University has unveiled a captivating facet of bacterial dormancy. Their research illuminates the mechanism through which dormant bacterial spores uphold and activate an endu.....»»