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Evolution

Pliobates cataloniae, a newly discovered ancient ape

New Research

Tiny Ancient Skeleton Redefines the Split Between Monkeys and Apes

The last common ancestor of all apes may have been smaller than previously thought

This Bronze Age skull is from the Yamnaya culture, which later developed into the Afanasievo culture of Central Asia, one of the peoples that carried early strains of plague.

New Research

Plague Was Infecting Humans 3,300 Years Earlier Than Thought

DNA from Bronze Age victims helped pinpoint mutations that allowed the disease to go from localized illness to deadly pandemic

Chelonoidis donfaustoi was named after Ecuador’s oldest park ranger.

New Research

New Species of Galapagos Tortoise Found on Santa Cruz Island

The newly recognized reptile was thought to be part of a more populous species of tortoise sharing the island

Montsechia’s origins in freshwater lakes challenge the idea that flowers evolved on land before moving into water.

These Are the Oldest Known Flowers in the World

Found in the fossil record, these plants are more than 100 million years old

New Research

Man’s Best Friend May Hail From Central Asia

Genetic analysis of over 5,000 dogs suggests that they were originally domesticated in Mongolia and Nepal

New Research

Did Life on Earth Really Start 4.1 Billion Years Ago? Not So Fast

Don’t rewrite the Earth’s history just yet

New Research

Fossilized Teeth Reveal Humans Were in Asia Long Before Europe

Early humans might have been more inclined to roam than scientists previously thought

New Research

How the Giraffe Got Its Long Neck: It Happened in Spurts

New fossils resolve this lengthy debate

Cool Finds

A Letter About Darwin’s Belief in God Just Sold for Nearly $200,000

Just 41 words long, it provides a missing link for historians who have long wondered what the naturalist thought about religion

New Research

Ancient Cats Drove Ancient Dogs to Extinction

The rivalry runs deep

New Research

Here’s Why Chimps and Humans Look So Different

Thank genes for the lack of family resemblance.

It's OK, buddy. We're here to help.

New Research

Domestication Seems to Have Made Dogs a Bit Dim

Thanks to their relationship with us, dogs are less adept at solving tricky puzzles than their wolf relatives

The fossils, encased in rock and sediment, were collected from marine rocks that date to around six million years ago before the Isthmus of Panama formed and a seaway connected the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

New Species of Ancient Dolphin Shows How the Animals Moved From Seas to Rivers

The newly discovered fossil gives scientists a fresh glimpse into the evolution of ocean life

New Research

Putting Eyeballs on Billboards Might Help Stop Crime

The feeling of being watched makes human change their behavior, even if it comes from a poster.

"Flatties" might be more aptly nicknamed "fliers" for their ability to glide to safety should they lose their grip in tree canopies.

New Research

Gliding Spiders Found Falling From Tropical Trees

Flat-bodied spiders that live in the rainforest strike a Superman pose to take control of their free-falls

Engineers at Cambridge University created a robot that could build and improve on other robots, in an artificial form of natural selection.

New Research

Watch a Robot Evolve

It’s the mother of all robots

New Research

Humans Evolved to Be Moved by Art

New research shows that while people respond to art for very different reasons, the ability to be moved in the first place is universal

Corythomantis greeningi frogs carry potent venom in their pouts.

Ask Smithsonian

What’s the Difference Between Poisonous and Venomous Animals?

The first known venomous frogs, discovered in Brazil, raise some basic questions about toxic biology

Cool Finds

The Science Behind Dogs’ Goofy Greetings

Why do dogs go nuts when their owners get home? The answers lie in their DNA and brains

New Research

Bully or Bystander? It Could Be in the Genes

New study says bullying may be nature, not nurture

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