Genetics Behind Lavender’s Popular Scent
The scent of lavender is loved by humans and insects alike, but what makes lavender scent so attractive? A group of scientists decided to find out.
Read MoreTag: evolution
Meet the Very First Mammals
Scientists have used new technology to analyze a fossil of one of the first mammals. The fossil reveals how the ancient animal lived.
Read More
Prehistoric Crocodiles Ruled Ancient Peru
Today, the Amazon River basin is well known for its biodiversity, but the area also has a long history of abundant life. Thanks to an international team of researchers, we now know that thirteen million years ago at least seven different species of prehistoric crocodile hunted in the swampy waters of what is now northeastern Peru. Evidence of this hyperdiverse group of crocs was found in Amazon bone beds, and it shows the largest number of prehistoric crocodile species co-existing in one place at any time in Earth’s history. This…
Read More
How Did Snapping Shrimp Evolve their Snap?
Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered the evolutionary path that snapping shrimp took to evolve their trademark snap.
Read More
Seahorses Give a Whole New Meaning to “Dad Bod”
Seahorses give a whole new meaning to the term “dad bod.” You see, they are one of the only animals species in which the males get pregnant and give birth.
Read More
How the Mantis Shrimp Packs a Powerful Punch
These little animals kill by punching as hard and fast as a bullet from a gun. Find out why the little mantis shrimp is so tough.
Read More
Nests, Neurons, and the Evolution of Behavior
Evolution is a beautiful process. We tend to appreciate its elegance most when looking backward into deep time, to our distant ancestors, or to dinosaurs.
Read More
Could Evolution be Changing your Neighborhood Squirrels?
Black squirrels — a relic of ancient, old-growth forests — are now more common in cities. To understand why, scientists want to track the color of squirrels in your backyard.
Read More
Parasitic Plant Has Edge in Evolutionary Arms Race
By Cameron Duke (@DukeofCam) The relationship between a parasite and its host can be a contentious one. Their interests are in direct conflict with one another, so each is always trying to circumvent the other’s plan. This is often thought of as an evolutionary “arms race.” In this ongoing competition, a parasite evolves a more efficient way to prey on the host, and the host adapts in response. These successive adaptations can lead to complex life cycles and intimate species-specific relationships. New research out of Penn State, conducted by Michael…
Read More
Genome Revelations: How Green Plants Evolved
By Jacqueline Mattos Plants are ancestral organisms that have evolved over millions of years, leading to the broad diversity we see today. Green plants evolved from a common ancestor into approximately 450,000–500,000 species today. There are many gaps in understanding of their diversification that scientists still struggle to fill. In a recent paper published in Nature, researchers from the One Thousand Plant Transcriptomes Initiative reviewed and analyzed genomic data from 1,124 plant species and provided the most complete evolutionary relationship tree for green plants to date. Genomes, transcriptomes, and phylogenetics…
Read More