Armadillo, Hedgehog and Rabbit Genes Reveal How Pregnancy Evolved
Inflammatory response tweaks may enable the embryo to implant in the uterus
Evolution6769 articles archived since 1845
Glow Sticks Help Ecologists Study Amphibians
Ecologists needed a way to more easily keep track of populations of amphibians, and green glow sticks lit the way.
How Snakes Lost Their Legs
New fossil analyses and insights from evolutionary developmental biology elucidate the long-sought origin of serpents
Finches Can Learn to Sing Differently Than Their Genetics Dictate
The song training that Bengalese finches received appeared to overcome tempo tendencies baked into their genes. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Baby Bats Can Learn Different Dialects
Fruit bats raised hearing different pitches of sounds vocalized in keeping with their aural environment as they matured.
Mongoose Societies Are Skeptical of Strangers
It takes months for members of a mongoose breeding society to trust newcomers with important tasks like watching for predators. Jason G. Goldman reports.
This Fish Emits Damaging Decibels
The Gulf corvina produces a chattering chorus that’s one of the loudest underwater animal sounds on the planet. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Lizards Learn a Silly Walk after Losing Their Tails
Leopard geckos compensate for the lost appendage’s movement
How Captives Changed the World
Stolen people—mostly women and children—were a driving force in the evolution of modern society
The Skinny on Fat
Biochemist Sylvia Tara talks about her book The Secret Life of Fat: The Science behind the Body's Least-Understood Organ and What It Means for You.
Sharks Rule the Reef's Underwater Food Chain
When sharks prowl shallow waters, fish quit foraging and hide—sparing seaweed from being grazed in those areas. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Sharks Rule the Reef's Underwater Food Chain
When sharks prowl shallow waters, fish quit foraging and hide—sparing seaweed from being grazed in those areas. Jason G. Goldman reports.
Why Click Speech Is Rare
Vocal anatomy may be the reason so few languages use these sounds
Yeti Claims Don't Bear Up
Analysis of alleged yeti samples found them to be from less fantastic beasts, such as bears, but also shed light on the evolution of those local bear populations.
Eggs in 1 Basket: China Fossil Find Opens Up Lost World of Pterosaurs
Researchers think the winged reptiles may have nested in colonies and cared for their young
Chimps Able to Apprehend Another Chimp's Mind-Set
By listening to the calls of their brethren, chimps seem to be able to understand the mind-sets and perspectives of other chimps. Jason Goldman reports.
Even without Hands Honeybees Show Handedness
About half the honeybees in a test exhibited no sidedness, but the other half was split 50–50 between righties and lefties—perhaps to navigate obstacles more efficiently.
Cetaceans' Big Brains Are Linked to Their Rich Social Life
Studying whale and dolphin anatomy and behavior could offer insights into human evolution
Puppy-Dog Eyes May Have Evolved in Stages
Dingoes’ brief glances may have been a stepping-stone to Fido’s longer loving stares
Salmon Sex Changes Entire Landscape
Salmon excavate streambed holes in which to lay eggs, setting off a chain of events that has surprisingly large geographical effects.
