Clues to Puebloan History Drip Away in Melting Ice Caves
Charcoal dating back nearly 2,000 years show the ancestral Puebloans used the ice for drinking water during droughts
Evolution11748 articles archived since 1845
Early Mammals Had Social Lives, Too
Chipmunklike animals that lived among the dinosaurs appear to have been social creatures, which suggests that sociality arose in mammals earlier than scientists thought. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Science News Briefs from All Over
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the world, including one, from the dormant volcano Llullaillaco in Chile, about a mouse that is the highest-dwelling mammal ever documented...
Dramatic Scope of the Anthropocene Can Be Seen from Above
Aerial photography highlights the effect humankind is having on the earth
Zebra Coloration Messes With Fly Eyes
Horseflies misjudge landings on zebra patterns, compared with solid gray or black surfaces, which provides evidence for why evolution came up with the black-and-white pattern.
Frog Vocals Lead to Small Preference
The concave-eared torrent frog's unusual ear anatomy lets it hear high-frequency calls, which gives a mating advantage to the littler males that sing soprano.
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from the United Arab Emirates about the the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country.
Gruesome ‘Blood Worms’ Invaded a Dinosaur’s Leg Bone, Fossil Suggests
A titanosaur fibula hosts what looks like 70 tiny parasites
This Beetle's Stab-Proof Exoskeleton Makes It Almost Indestructible
Jigsaw-puzzle-shaped seams that hold a notoriously tough insect’s wing cases together could inspire engineers
Dinosaur Asteroid Hit Worst-Case Place
The mass-extinction asteroid happened to strike an area where the rock contained a lot of organic matter and sent soot into the stratosphere, where it could block sunlight for years...
Gallery: The Maya Who Escaped Spanish Conquest
The Lacandon Maya eluded the conquistadors and survived in the jungle for hundreds of years. Archaeological discoveries are revealing their past
Humans Make Wild Animals Less Wary
From mammals to mollusks, animals living among humans lose their antipredator behaviors.
Play Helped Dogs Be Our Best Friends
The ancestors of today’s dogs already exhibited some playfulness, which became a key trait during domestication.
Moving in Sync Creates Surprising Social Bonds among People
Dancing, rowing and even finger tapping in unison unleash powerful forces in the brain that drive good feelings
Why the World’s Biggest Dinosaurs Keep Getting Cut Down to Size
Debate erupts over how best to estimate the sizes of the largest creatures ever to have walked the earth
Neandertal DNA May Be COVID Risk
A stretch of Neandertal DNA has been associated with some cases of severe COVID-19, but it’s unclear how much of a risk it poses. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Rare Fossil Reveals Cicada Entombed in Opal
An insect trapped in a precious gem points to new places to search for ancient life
Humans Are All More Closely Related Than We Commonly Think
Humanity’s most recent common ancestor and so-called genetic isopoint illustrate the surprising connections among our family trees
Fluttering Feathers Could Spawn New Species
Fork-tailed flycatchers make a fluttering sound with their wings—but separate subspecies have different “dialects” of fluttering. Christopher Intagliata reports.
These Small Mammals Snort to a Different Tune
Hyraxes, which live in Africa and the Middle East, punctuate their songs with snorts. And the snorts appear to reflect the animals’ emotional state. Jason G. Goldman reports.
