Evolutionary Biology1968 articles archived since 1845

Fossil Matchup Suggests Ancient Stick Insect Mimicked Gingko Relative

The patterns on the insect's wings closely match those of nearby fossilized leaves from the same period

“Invasive” Cockroach Species Lived in the U.S. 49 Million Years Ago

Once thought to be invasive, a bug reveals its American roots

How Hunting Made Us Human

For decades anthropologists have debated when and how our ancestors became skilled hunters. Recent discoveries have yielded surprising new insights

Human Nose Tallies More Than a Trillion Scents

Based on humans' ability to discriminate between various close odors, researchers calculate that the average person can distinguish at least a trillion smells. Cynthia Graber reports

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The Unstoppable Extinction And Fermi’s Paradox

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the evidence that we are currently within a period of mass extinction, the kind of event that will show up in the fossil record a few million years from now as a clear discontinuity, a radical change in the diversity of life on the planet...

Burmese Pythons in the Everglades Display Unusual Navigational Abilities

Unlike most snakes, the pythons appeared able to find their way home after being displaced by many miles

Master of Long-Distance Aviation Loses Ground

The first bird being considered for endangered species protections due to climate change migrates 30,000 kilometers a year

Why Reindeer Steer Clear of Power Lines

Zaps of UV light may explain why some animals avoid the cables

A Whale of a Find: Fossil Sheds Light on Cetacean Sonar's Origin

The U.S. Conservation Crisis That No One Hears About

An extinction crisis is quietly unfolding in the southeastern U.S.

Free the Elephants and Orcas in Captivity [Editorial]

Such large, intelligent animals suffer when stuffed in a zoo

"Game Face" Evolved as Plea for Help

The determination on children's faces as they struggled with a difficult task was not observed in chimpanzees involved in the same study, suggesting that the expression is an evolutionary trait...

Famous Fossil Bed in China Yields Feathered and Bucktoothed Dinos, Gliding Mammals and a Pterosaur

The fossil-rich layers date from the period when dinosaurs and birds split from a common ancestor

Hell, Yes: Komodo Dragons!!! (Again)

What with all the monitor-themed goodness around these parts lately (see links below), it seems only fitting that I provide a re-vamped, substantially updated version of this Tet Zoo ver 2 classic (originally published in September 2007)...

Compound That May Mimic Calorie Restriction Extends Life Span in Mice

The molecule is thought to activate proteins involved in metabolism and inflammation

The Science Is In: Elephants Are Even Smarter Than We Realized [Video]

We now have solid evidence that elephants are some of the most intelligent, social and empathic animals around—so how can we justify keeping them in captivity?

Lassie and Timmy Hear Vocals in Same Brain Area

Functional MRI brain scans show that man and man's best friend use analogous brain regions to process vocalizations of both their own and the other species. Sophie Bushwick reports

Can We Keep Airplanes Safe without Killing So Many Birds?

Is slaughtering birds the best way to keep the wildlife away from airplanes?

The New World Crocodile Assemblage: Crocodiles Part VII

A momentous thing is about to happen. Take a deep breath and prepare yourself. Today is the day when… I finish my series of articles on the crocodiles of the world.

The Hunt for Neandertal Genes [Excerpt]

Biologist Svante Pääbo describes the thrilling discovery of DNA from the bones of an ancient Neandertal in this excerpt from his new book