https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/evolution/RSS feed for EvolutionenThu, 21 May 2026 16:28:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/Brain size and bipedalism are the most likely drivers of our species’ right-hand dominance, according to new researchThu, 21 May 2026 16:28:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/The findings suggest that their famous lateral movement evolved just once. It may have helped the animals rapidly spread and diversify because moving in two directions meant they could easily escape predatorsWed, 20 May 2026 15:57:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/Alston’s singing mice carry out complex vocalizations and even appear to converse politely with one another. The neural circuitry that makes this possible is simpler than researchers expectedMon, 11 May 2026 20:44:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/east-africa-might-break-off-from-the-continent-sooner-than-scientists-thought-and-a-new-ocean-may-fill-the-gap-180988659/A new study suggests that a rift in Kenya and Ethiopia has reached a critical stage in the split-up process, and that water may flood it in a few million yearsFri, 08 May 2026 18:48:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/east-africa-might-break-off-from-the-continent-sooner-than-scientists-thought-and-a-new-ocean-may-fill-the-gap-180988659/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/nearly-half-of-italys-wolves-are-part-dog-now-thanks-to-hybridization-is-that-a-threat-to-the-species-180988682/Wolf-dog hybrids are growing far more common in Italy, raising scientists’ concerns for the future of the wolvesWed, 06 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/nearly-half-of-italys-wolves-are-part-dog-now-thanks-to-hybridization-is-that-a-threat-to-the-species-180988682/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/When the climate cooled, the population of Neanderthals shrank. Most that lived between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago were descended from the same lineage and had very similar DNAFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:04:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/camera-traps-reveal-iberian-lynxes-soaking-their-prey-a-first-ever-discovery-among-carnivores-180988591/Scientists speculate that the wild cats are trying to improve hydration or ease their cubs’ transition to solid food. The finding points to resilience in one of the world’s most endangered felinesThu, 23 Apr 2026 13:00:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/camera-traps-reveal-iberian-lynxes-soaking-their-prey-a-first-ever-discovery-among-carnivores-180988591/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-are-still-evolving-natural-selection-has-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-less-male-pattern-baldness-a-study-suggests-180988563/A massive study of ancient and modern DNA from thousands of West Eurasian people has identified nearly 500 genetic variants that evolution has selected for or against in recent historyWed, 22 Apr 2026 17:34:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-are-still-evolving-natural-selection-has-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-less-male-pattern-baldness-a-study-suggests-180988563/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-kids-grew-up-so-fast-at-least-compared-to-their-human-peers-thanks-to-genetic-adaptations-to-their-environment-180988583/Scientists think Neanderthal children may have had faster growth rates because larger bodies tend to retain heat more effectively than smaller onesTue, 21 Apr 2026 15:14:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-kids-grew-up-so-fast-at-least-compared-to-their-human-peers-thanks-to-genetic-adaptations-to-their-environment-180988583/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anglerfish-are-known-for-their-built-in-fishing-rods-new-research-sheds-light-on-how-these-lures-evolved-in-the-strange-creatures-180988577/A new study suggests the odd appendages first appeared in the fish's ancestors around 72 million years ago. Today, females might use them not only to attract prey but also to communicate with potential matesMon, 20 Apr 2026 21:41:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anglerfish-are-known-for-their-built-in-fishing-rods-new-research-sheds-light-on-how-these-lures-evolved-in-the-strange-creatures-180988577/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-hell-creek-formation-is-north-americas-legendary-boneyard-see-the-top-five-discoveries-found-in-the-iconic-fossil-bed-180988545/From preserved plants to T. rex, the material found in these Late Cretaceous rocks has resulted in countless breakthroughs for paleontologistsWed, 15 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-hell-creek-formation-is-north-americas-legendary-boneyard-see-the-top-five-discoveries-found-in-the-iconic-fossil-bed-180988545/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-300-million-year-old-mummified-fossil-reveals-the-origins-of-breathing-in-amniotes-180988521/Unusually well-preserved fossils have provided the earliest known evidence of a land vertebrate that could pump air in and out of its chest using muscles between the ribs—the same strategy used by modern mammals, reptiles and birdsMon, 13 Apr 2026 20:06:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-300-million-year-old-mummified-fossil-reveals-the-origins-of-breathing-in-amniotes-180988521/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-wild-chimps-have-been-fighting-in-a-civil-war-for-nearly-a-decade-its-the-bloodiest-split-ever-seen-among-their-kind-180988527/The Ngogo chimpanzees in Uganda have divided themselves into two main factions, and dozens of deaths have been recorded since the split in 2018. A new study details the unprecedented violence, which could shed light on the evolutionary underpinnings of human warfareFri, 10 Apr 2026 20:12:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-wild-chimps-have-been-fighting-in-a-civil-war-for-nearly-a-decade-its-the-bloodiest-split-ever-seen-among-their-kind-180988527/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/octopus-sex-just-got-weirder-in-addition-to-depositing-sperm-males-specialized-mating-arm-can-taste-female-hormones-180988500/The hectocotylus is both a reproductive organ and a sensory organ, a rare combination in animals, new research suggestsThu, 09 Apr 2026 18:38:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/octopus-sex-just-got-weirder-in-addition-to-depositing-sperm-males-specialized-mating-arm-can-taste-female-hormones-180988500/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-fossils-discovered-in-china-hint-that-complex-life-evolved-millions-of-years-earlier-than-scientists-thought-180988490/The assemblage suggests that the ancestors of some of today's animal groups may have arisen before the famed Cambrian explosionTue, 07 Apr 2026 19:32:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-fossils-discovered-in-china-hint-that-complex-life-evolved-millions-of-years-earlier-than-scientists-thought-180988490/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-500-million-year-old-fossil-of-a-claw-bearing-predator-uncovers-the-origins-of-spiders-scorpions-and-other-arthropods-180988477/A new analysis of a specimen found more than 40 years ago reveals the oldest known chelicerate, defined by its pair of pincer-like appendagesThu, 02 Apr 2026 20:22:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-500-million-year-old-fossil-of-a-claw-bearing-predator-uncovers-the-origins-of-spiders-scorpions-and-other-arthropods-180988477/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-17-million-year-old-fossils-could-rewrite-the-evolutionary-tree-of-apes-including-humans-180988446/Jawbone fragments and teeth from a previously unknown species hint that the evolution of modern apes occurred in what's now North Africa or the Arabian Peninsula, rather than in East AfricaMon, 30 Mar 2026 16:08:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-17-million-year-old-fossils-could-rewrite-the-evolutionary-tree-of-apes-including-humans-180988446/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-the-worlds-first-known-dog-which-pushes-back-the-animals-genetic-record-by-about-5000-years-180988444/Two new ancient DNA studies suggest that domesticated dogs were widespread in western Eurasia more than 14,000 years agoFri, 27 Mar 2026 17:49:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-the-worlds-first-known-dog-which-pushes-back-the-animals-genetic-record-by-about-5000-years-180988444/