Biology
New House Cat-Size Feline Species Discovered
The oncillas found in northeastern Brazil belong to a different species from those elsewhere in South America, though they look virtually identical
Evolutionary Biology1968 articles archived since 1845
Biology
Bizarre Fire Ants Create Rafts to Survive Frequent Floods
Certain species in Brazil grab hold of one another to form a living collective that can float for weeks
Health
What 11 Billion People Mean for Disease Outbreaks
The explosive growth of the human population—from 2.5 billion to 6 billion since the second half of the 20th century—may have already started changing how infectious diseases emerge
Biology
Why Seahorses Are Shaped like Horses
Their overall shape makes them one of the slowest swimmers on the planet. Still, they are unexpectedly effective at capturing prey
The Sciences
Mushrooms Create Their Own Breeze
Mushrooms can make a slight spore-dispersing breeze to spread their genetic material even if the air is calm. Katherine Harmon reports
Evolution
Mushrooms "Make Wind" to Spread Spores
Mushrooms rely on evaporation to induce a bit of air flow
Evolution
The Good and Bad News about Frog Abnormalities
On average, amphibian deformities at U.S. national wildlife refuges are lower than expected. But in abnormality “hotspots,” rates can approach 40 percent
Evolution
Americas' Natives Have European Roots
The oldest known genome of a modern human solves long-standing puzzles about the New World's genetic heritage
Mind & Brain
Bird Brains Need Testosterone for Strong Song
Male canaries that got testosterone doses throughout their brains made better music than those that got the hormone only at the brain region associated with mating behavior. Sophie Bushwick reports...
Space & Physics
New Bacterial Life-Form Discovered in NASA and ESA Spacecraft Clean Rooms
The previously unknown microbe was tough enough to survive stringent sterilization at two locations. Might it survive a trip to Mars?
Biology
Update For When Wolf Became Woof
Genetic analysis moves dog domestication from wolf ancestors to possibly as far back as 30,000 years ago, in Europe, when humans were still hunter-gatherers. Wayt Gibbs reports.
Evolution
How Climate Change and Plate Tectonics Shaped Human Evolution
A new study links the emergence of new hominin species, expanding brain capacity and early human migration with the appearance of deep freshwater lakes
Biology
Leopard-like Creature Is the Oldest Big Cat Yet Found
The discovery of Panthera blytheae fossils strengthens an Asian origin for pantherine carnivores
Dinosaurs
Missing Piece of Long-Neck Dinosaur Finally Discovered
The bone is the first snout ever found that belongs to the Apatosaurus, commonly referred to as the Brontosaurus
Evolution
Did Iconic Archaeopteryx Lose Its Ability to Fly?
The early bird's anatomy matches that of modern flightless birds, a paleontologist says
The Sciences
Smelly Microbes Help Hyenas to Communicate with Each Other
Bacteria in scent glands give information about hosts' species, sex and reproductive state
Technology
Cocktail Accessories Modeled after Nature’s Survival Mechanisms
A mathematician and a chef have produced objects that mimic the function and beauty of biological organisms
Biology
Nocturnal Animals Take Chances on Moonlit Dinners
Small animals are more active under the full moon when large hunters strangely tend to lie low
The Sciences
Survival Science: Hunting M&Ms Candies
A candy camouflage challenge from Science Buddies
Biology
The Man Who Wasn't Darwin: Alfred Russel Wallace on the Centenary of His Death
Alfred Russel Wallace biographer Peter Raby of the University of Cambridge talks about the great naturalist and co-creator of the theory of evolution by natural selection on the 100th anniversary of Wallace's death...
