Evolution
Footprint Find Could Be a “Holy Grail” of Pterosaur Research
How early pterosaurs walked on the ground has been a complete mystery. Now the first known trackways of their footprints offer answers
Evolution11788 articles archived since 1845
Evolution
Sharp-Nosed Marine Reptile Is a Triassic Surprise
A fossil found in Alaska may help explain why a mysterious group of seagoing creatures went extinct
Evolution
Neandertals Tooled Around with Clams
Neandertals ate clams and then modified the hard shells into tools for cutting and scraping.
Evolution
Why Does Sugar Taste So Good?
Put down that jelly donut and learn the evolutionary science behind why sugar makes us salivate
Evolution
Science News Briefs from All Over
Here are a few brief reports about international science and technology from around the world, including one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo about a toad that has evolved coloring that makes it look like a deadly snake’s head...
Evolution
Did Animal Calls Start in the Dark?
One hypothesis says the ability to vocalize arose in nocturnal animals—and a new evolutionary analysis suggests there may be some truth to it. Christopher Intagliata reports. ...
Culture
Sign Languages Display Distinct Ancestries
Well more than 100 distinct sign languages exist worldwide, with each having features that made it possible for researchers to create an evolutionary tree of their lineages.
Squishy Cephalopod Was Almost a Pterosaur’s Lunch
The fossil of an ancient squid relative tells paleontologists something new about the reptile that tried to feed on it
EARTH
How to Make a Mass Extinction
Journalist and author Peter Brannen talks about his book The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth’s Past Mass Extinctions ...
Evolution
Slime Molds Have Been Oozing around Earth for at Least 100 Million Years
Stunning new fossil reveals that at least one Cretaceous slime mold—an “intelligent” giant amoeba—looks identical to one alive today
Evolution
Thousands of Ancient Aboriginal Sites Probably Damaged in Australian Fires
The sites are rich in cultural history, but the blazes might also reveal some unknown ones, say archaeologists
Evolution
Some Wolf Pups Show Innate Fetching Talent
Some wolf pups will play fetch with a stranger, suggesting that an ability to playfully interact with people could have come before, and played a role in, dog domestication.
Biology
Curiosity Killed the ... Mouse?
The cat parasite Toxoplasma gondii boosts curiosity in mice—which makes them more likely to be caught by cats, thus continuing the parasite’s life cycle. Karen Hopkin reports...
Penguin Skin Offers Hints about Dinosaur Fluff
A fossil penguin wing found in Antarctica has broader implications for what dinosaurs looked like
Culture
Pop Culture’s Rate of Change May Mirror Organic Evolution
A new study finds that music and some other human phenomena have altered at a pace comparable to that of animals such as Darwin’s finches
Paleontologists Dig Into a Giant Sloth Boneyard
Ancient drought and unfortunate bathroom habits may have doomed some ice age sloths
Evolution
This Fish Knows How to Stick Around
The remora clings to other fish—and appears to use an unusual sense of touch to do so. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Biology
Bacteria Helped Plants Evolve to Live on Land
Soil bacteria may have taken residence in early algal species, gifting the algae with the ability to withstand drier conditions on land. Annie Sneed reports.
Conservation
Loss of Large Mammals Stamps Out Invertebrates, Too
Hunted areas of Gabon have fewer large mammals and a thicker forest understory—but they also have fewer termites. Jason G. Goldman reports.
What Did Dinosaurs Smell Like?
Smell was certainly an important part of dinosaur life. What do we know about it?
