Extreme Flu? Weird Encephalitis? It May Be Your Genes
Subtle mutations can undermine our ability to fend off a specific bug
Evolution6855 articles archived since 1845
Discovery of Massive Granite Sarcophagus Presents Mystery of Who Is Inside
The coffin, discovered in Alexandria, Egypt, is a rare example of an unopened tomb
The Real Paleo Diet
Microscopic wear patterns on fossil teeth reveal what our ancestors ate—and provide insights into how climate change shaped human evolution
Tools from China are Oldest Hint of Human Lineage Outside Africa
2.1-million-year-old stone tools suggest hominins reached East Asia much earlier than thought
Favorite Wine Grapes May Need Genetic Help
Wine book author Kevin Begos explains that just a few varieties of wine grapes dominate the industry, which leaves them vulnerable to potentially catastrophic disease outbreaks.
Ancient Dog DNA Reveals Close Relationship with Contagious Cancer
North America’s first domesticated dogs died out after European colonization, but they share a genetic link to a transmissible tumor spread globally
Iridescence Could Help Critters Hide in Plain Sight
Iridescence appears to break up the recognizable shape of objects—making them harder to spot. Karen Hopkin reports.
Primate Conflicts Play Out in the Operating Room
By analyzing 200 surgeries, anthropologists found mixed-gender operating room teams exhibited the highest levels of cooperation. Christopher Intagliata reports.
City Life Favors Downsized Invertebrates
Most invertebrates get smaller on average in cities, although a few very mobile species respond to urbanization by growing.
Humans Can Size One Another Up with a Roar
Listeners to a person letting loose with a roar can accurately estimate the size and formidability or the human noise maker. Christopher Intagliata reports.
T. rex Couldn't Stick Out Its Tongue
With its tongue attached to the bottom of its mouth, the dinosaur probably ate like modern crocodiles
Bird's Song Staying Power Implies Culture
Certain motifs in swamp sparrow songs can last hundreds, even thousands of years—evidence of a cultural tradition in the birds. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Babysitting Mammals Keep It in the Family
Blood relations may be the key factor for mole rats, meerkats and others. But how do humans fit in?
Too Small for Big Muscles, Tiny Animals Use Springs
Elastic springs help tiny animals stay fast and strong. New work is finding what size critters must be to benefit from the springs
Weeds Are Winning the War against Herbicide Resistance
Herbicides are under evolutionary threat. Can modern agriculture find a new way to fight back?
![Hawaii Volcano Terms Explained [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/AABD41B4-A949-483A-9035DD6CF190994A_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Hawaii Volcano Terms Explained [Slide Show]
From a'a to vog, a guide to the terminology used to describe the ongoing eruption of Kilauea
Hawaii Volcano Terms Explained
A guide to the terminology used to describe the ongoing eruption of Kilauea
Ancient Clan War Explains Genetic Diversity Drop
Some 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, the diversity of Y chromosomes plummeted. A new analysis suggests clan warfare may have been the cause. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Jurassic World: Can We Really Resurrect a Dinosaur?
The Jurassic Park franchise has sparked an interest in dinosaur DNA, but the movies are just fiction
Volcanoes: Nature's Way of Letting Off Steam
A slide show of eruptions and their impacts around the world