What Is Convergent Evolution? Study Reveals New Insights About the Evolutionary Tree

Medicine & Technology Jul 04, 2023

New research suggests that most of our evolutionary trees are misleading, and that convergent evolution might be more common than previously thought. Find out more about it in this article.

Ancient Winged Plant Fossil May Solve ‘Paleobotanic Mystery,' How Plants Were Dispersed 100 Million Years Ago

Feb 16, 2022

A new study published recently has the detailed discovery of ancient plant fossils, specifically two fossil winged fruits from the Ceratopetalum, formerly believed to be limited in range during the Cretaceous period to the Southern Hemisphere.

Earth's Routine Orbital Stretches Significantly Impacts Evolution; Study Says

Dec 02, 2021

Researchers found evidence suggesting that the average size of phytoplankton coincided with the 400,000 orbital eccentricity cycle of the Earth hinting at a relationship between the orbit and evolution of life on Earth.

Great Oxygenation and Plankton Eradication Paved the Way For Mountains and Life on Earth

Dec 01, 2021

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen found that a large-scale plankton eradication after the Great Oxygenation Event acted as lubricants for rock slabs that paved the way for mountain and life formation.

Ancient Plant Fossils Help Explain the Rise of Flowering Plants

May 27, 2021

Flowering plants, formally known as angiosperms, are now among the most populous across terrestrial ecosystems, providing other organisms with food through their fruits. However, their exact origins have remained a mystery for a long time - and ancient plant fossils could help unravel their secrets.

1-Billion-Year-Old Fossil Life Discovered: Scientists Say It Has Never Been Described Before

Apr 30, 2021

New research showed, on a Scottish loch's shores, lie geologic deposits, specifically one-billion-year-old fossil, and within the rocks is proof of the earliest identified non-marine multicellular organism.

Neural Network From Brain to Eyes Evolves Much Earlier, Fish Genetics Study Shows

Apr 09, 2021

In a new discovery, the complex neural network that connects the brain to the eyes might have developed far earlier than previously thought, according to a new study.

New Study on Skeletons Reveal How Humans Adapt to Pandemics

Feb 26, 2021

A new skeleton study traces back to ancient pandemics - examining how humans have adapted to adapt against pathogens that have caused diseases such as leprosy, tuberculosis, and treponematoses - as a part of the global effort to understand COVID-19 better.

New Study Unveils Hereditary Clues to the Capuchin’s Long Life and Large Brains

Feb 20, 2021

An international study conducted gene sequencing on Capuchin monkeys, finding genetic clues throughout their evolution to explain their notable life expectancy and large brains.

200-Million-Year-Old Teeth Suggest First Mammals Lived Like Reptiles

Oct 12, 2020

A research team of European scientists analyzed 200 million-year-old teeth that belonged to some of the earliest mammals, suggesting that these animals lived much like reptiles.

Seeing With Its Skin—How An Octopus Can Live In the Deep

May 21, 2015

Researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara have discovered that the octopus, uniquely adept with camouflage, can "see" with its skin. The study found that the California two-spot octopus can sense light using light-sensitive proteins, similar to those found in eyes, in its skin.

Yale Traces the Origins of all Snakes

May 20, 2015

Researchers at Yale University recently delved into the evolutionary history of snakes, and what they discovered was an ancient creature who lived over 120 million years ago in the warm forests of the Southern Hemisphere. And most interesting of all, this creature sported tiny hindlimbs, replete with ankles and toes.

How the Opah Managed To Hide Its Warm Blood In Ocean Depths

May 16, 2015

This week scientists discovered the first known warm-blooded fish; except that this fish was already well-known to humans. The comically appointed opah, a large silver and red fish that is large, circular, and flat, has been making appearances in fishing nets off the coast of west Africa and Hawaii for years.

Embryological Manipulation Reveals Chicks Can Have Prehistoric Looks

May 13, 2015

One of the latest breakthroughs from Yale scientists: the mighty dino-chicken. The Yale team used molecular manipulation to grow chicken embryos with Velociraptor snouts and published their results yesterday in the journal Evolution. The embryos did not hatch.

From Single Cells to Us—The Tale Of Evolution As It's Told At Deep-Sea Vents

May 07, 2015

In the search for the origins of life, scientists have found a striking new link between lone cells and complex creatures like humans. The connection comes from observing life under the harsh conditions that exist near volcanoes more than a mile below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.