Evolutionary Biology

The brains of cetaceans--dolphins and whales--differ from those of other mammals in a number of ways, but one of the most striking differences is the size of the hippocampus.  As a general rule, the larger the size of a mammal’s brain, the smaller the fraction of it that the hippocampus occupies, so dolphins and whales [...]

High-speed video now reveals the bill as a specialized weapon that can exert great power or nudge prey gently

In August 1881 the journal “Science” published an article with a letter exchange by two amateur geologist – British Charles R.

Alarming shrinkage has stopped, researchers say, because the Y is a bastion of elite genes that play vital roles throughout the body

Nearly four out of every 100 children in the U.S. have a food allergy, according to CDC data from 2007. Avoiding common food allergens, such as peanuts, eggs, tree nuts and fish, for the first few years of life was the prescription for prevention for many years, but in 2008 the American Academy of Pediatrics [...]

One of the most delightful bird species of the Galápagos has almost completely stopped breeding there. According to a new study published this week in the journal Avian Conservation and Ecology, blue-footed boobies (Sula nebouxii) have seen a population drop of more than 50 percent over the past two decades.

It’s true that the octopus is super weird. These animals have blue blood and three hearts. And as online personality and humorist Ze Frank points out in his latest video creation, it seems that they can also “fart ink at a moment’s notice”--pointing to this as “evolution at its finest.” The video’s tongue-in-cheek tone might [...]

The Mercury Islands tusked weta (Motuweta isolate) isn’t exactly a thing of beauty. These massive New Zealand insects can reach more than seven centimeters in length, including the impressive tusks in front of their jaws that they use to push their prey around.

Hornbills are among the most charismatic, fascinating and awesome of birds, yet surprisingly little is known about them, dedicated studies are few, and they are incredibly elusive and hard to study.

Easter in Australia is pretty much the same as Easter elsewhere in the world. We do Easter egg hunts and put sad-looking yellow chickens with loose eyespots on display in straw nests and eat nothing but chocolate for three days straight.

A cave insect's marathon sex sessions extract nourishment along with sperm from a reluctant male

Alligator snapping turtles look pretty intimidating. These massive, prehistoric-looking reptiles can reach more than 66 centimeters in length and weigh more than 100 kilograms.