The Sciences
Ancient Human Ancestors Heard Differently
Early human species may have had sharper hearing in certain frequencies than we enjoy, to facilitate short-range communication in an open environment. Cynthia Graber reports
Evolutionary Biology1969 articles archived since 1845
Evolution
New Clues about the Evolution of Dogs
Scientists are racing to solve the enduring mystery of how a large, dangerous carnivore evolved into a playful companion
Evolution
Having an Existential Crisis? It Could be Worse, and Weirder
Living on a small planet in a big universe exposes us to all manner of existential problems, but what are the worst, and what are the weirdest?
Evolution
Were the First Flowers Aquarium Plants?
The identity of Earth's first flower has long vexed botanists. A new interpretation of an old fossil adds to the evidence that they may have come from the water.
Evolution
Bird Cries Wolf to Deceive Predator 40 Times Its Size
The brown thornbill scares away its attacker by pretending an even bigger bird is nearby
Evolution
Sick Ants Seek Out Medicinal Food
Healthy ants wanted nothing to do with free-radical-rich foodstuff, but ants exposed to a pathogenic fungus sought it out, which upped their odds of survival. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Evolution
Ancient Aquatic Flora Was among the First Flowering Plants
Pyrenees fossils suggest the Montsechia lived up to 130 million years ago and is the earliest known example of a fully submerged aquatic flowering plant
The Sciences
Octopus Genome Reveals Secrets to Complex Intelligence
The largest invertebrate genetic code unleashes clues to camouflage, suckers, evolution
Evolution
Bite Me: The Mutation That Made Corn Kernels Consumable
A single-point mutation in corn's ancestor teosinte got rid of the hard shell that used to encase every kernel
Evolution
Giant Burst of Tiny Organisms Discovered on Tree of Life
A new technique for finding and characterizing microbes has boosted the number of known bacteria by almost 50 percent, revealing a hidden world all around us.
Health
Some STIs Are Beneficial, and May Have Boosted Evolutionary Promiscuity
One sexually transmitted virus seems to cut HIV death rates
Evolution
A New Era for Origins of Life Science?
A new effort to bring global cohesion to origins of life science launches, and with it a fresh look at how to crack one of the greatest existential questions.
Evolution
Microbes Deep under Seafloor Reflect Ancient Land Origins
Microbes 2,500 meters below the seafloor in Japan are most closely related to bacterial groups that thrive in forest soils on land, suggesting that they might be descendants of ones that survived when their terrestrial habitat was flooded 20 million years ago ...
Evolution
Nematodes Use Slugs Like Buses ... and Maybe Cruise Ships
To a tiny worm called a nematode, slugs may be the ultimate sexy ride: moist, secure, and maybe even pre-loaded with snacks.
Evolution
Pollution Spurs Rapid Adaptation in Trout
Fish evolution is tied to key moments in human history
Mind
Bonobo Peeps May Be Necessary Language Precursors
Animal communication studies have shown only fixed vocalizations, such as alarm cries. But Bonobo chimps appear to have a call that has different meanings in different contexts ...
Evolution
Diminutive Peoples Took Different Paths to Petite
Adults of the west African Baka people and east African Efé and Sua peoples average less than five feet tall. But while the Efé and Sua are born small, the Baka have slow growth rates in infancy ...
Evolution
"Imperfect" Vaccines May Aid Survival of Ultrahot Viruses
Certain vaccines prevent sickness and death, but don't block transmission—meaning they may actually give some viral strains an extra shot at survival. Christopher Intagliata reports...
Mind
What All the Screaming Is about
An analysis of the acoustical characteristics of screams found that the sounds are unusually rough, that is, they rapidly change in frequency, which has an alarming effect on the listener's brain ...
Evolution
Melting Mummies Are on Thin Ice, Thanks to Climate Change
Glacial archaeologists scramble to save long-preserved specimens thawing out of vanishing ice before they are lost forever
