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How Did Vertebrates First Evolve Jaws?

Scientists reveal clues about the origin of this thrilling evolutionary innovation in vertebrates.

Discovery of Lonely Tortoise Doubles Known Members of Galapagos Species

The discovery in 2019 of a lone small female tortoise living on one of the most inaccessible islands of the Galapagos Islands has baffled evolutionary biologists.

The Heat Is On: Weizmann Institute Scientists Uncover Traces of Fire Dating Back At Least 800,000 Years

Using advanced AI techniques, the researchers discover one of the earliest pieces of evidence for the use of fire

Settled at Birth: Blood Vessels Remember Their Origins

Blood vessels originating from lymphatic vessels were found to be tailored to specific functions

100,000-Year-Old Polar Bear Genome Reveals Ancient Hybridization with Brown Bears

Study finds all brown bears today have some polar bear ancestry due to genetic admixture that occurred during a warm interglacial period more than 100,000 years ago

Researchers Identify Ancient Bird Behind Giant Eggs from Down Under

A years-long research debate over which animal is the rightful mother of giant prehistoric eggs in Australia has been resolved.

Otters Learn from Each Other – but Solve Some Puzzles Alone

Otters learn skills from each other – but they also solve some mysteries alone, new research shows.

British Coral Predicted to Be Resilient to Climate Change

An iconic coral species found in UK waters could expand its range due to climate change, new research shows.

'Fuel of Evolution' More Abundant Than Previously Thought in Wild Animals

The raw material for evolution is much more abundant in wild animals than we previously believed, according to new research from the Australian National University (ANU).

Ostriches Can Adapt to Heat or Cold – but Not Both

The ostrich is genetically wired to adapt to rising or falling temperatures.

A New 225-Million-Year-Old Reptile from Brazil

A reassessment of Faxinalipterus minimus, a purported Triassic pterosaur from southern Brazil resulted in the description of a new taxon

Perplexing Fish-Like Fossil Finally Classified

For the first time since its discovery 130 years ago one of the most mysterious fossil vertebrates has finally been classified, increasing our possible understanding of the first animals to crawl on Earth.

Study Suggests That Most of Our Evolutionary Trees Could Be Wrong

Scientists say convergent evolution is much more common than previously thought

Great White Sharks May Have Contributed to Megalodon Extinction

The diet of fossil extinct animals can hold clues to their lifestyle, behaviour, evolution and ultimately extinction.

Nothing Without Each Other

Humans and apes are social creatures. We need each other. We depend on each other. It's what binds us together. But that doesn't mean we always get along.

Some Nomadic Birds Look for Social Cues to Stop Migrating

Birds of a feather not only flock together but also appear to settle down together.

International team uses fossils to shed light on evolution of sexual conflict in scorpionflies

How sexual conflict evolved and shaped mating behavior in scorpionflies is the subject of a detailed study of three fossils well preserved in amber.

A New 225-Million-Year-Old Reptile from Brazil

In a new study published in PeerJ -- Reassessment of Faxinalipterus minimus, a purported Triassic pterosaur from southern Brazil resulted in the description of a new taxon -- researchers present Maehary bonapartei a small reptile that is considered to be the most basal of the evolutionary lineage that gave rise to pterosaurs.

Frogs Have Acquired DNA from Snakes with the Help of Parasites

Horizontal DNA transfer, once thought to be a rare event, has occurred between snakes and frogs at least 54 times in the past 85 million years

An “Oracle” for Predicting the Evolution of Gene Regulation

Researchers create a mathematical framework to examine the genome and detect signatures of natural selection, deciphering the evolutionary past and future of non-coding DNA.