Evolution
Seven Million Years Ago, the Oldest Known Early Human Was Already Walking
Analysis of a femur fossil indicates that a key species could already move somewhat like us
The Evolutionary Trait That May Have Led to Human Speech
“Vocal membranes” in primates make their speech grating and unpredictable, study suggests. Humans have no such thing
The Done-Up Bird Gets the Worm
Starling chicks apply their preening oil as a lipstick to get more food from their parents
What Can Dancing Cockatoos Teach Us About Ourselves?
An evolutionary biologist demystifies bird intelligence in an excerpt from her new book
Why Did Europeans Evolve Into Becoming Lactose Tolerant?
Famine and disease from millennia ago likely spurred the rapid evolution of the trait on the continent
After Fish Developed Limbs, Some Might Have Returned to Swimming
Scientists think a recently discovered fossil is evidence that evolution is more like a branching tree than a ladder
Penguins Might Not Be Ready to Adapt to Modern Climate Change
A new study looking at genomes and the fossil record shows that penguins evolve slower than other birds
When Did Early Humans Start Using Fire? To Find Answers, Scientists Enlist Artificial Intelligence
By analyzing flint tools, researchers find new evidence of an 800,000-year-old fire in northern Israel
Wild Bats Can Recognize a Phone’s Ringtone Four Years Later
The findings could help researchers understand more about the advantages and disadvantages of long-term memory in animals
When Did Humans Domesticate the Horse?
Only recently have scientists discovered exactly when and where the animal went from wild to tame
Could Ants, Termites and Fishes Make Humans Better Farmers?
Scientists are now revealing the agricultural expertise that other species have cultivated for tens of millions of years
How Did Climate Change Affect Ancient Humans?
Sophisticated climate models were paired with evidence from the archaeological record to reveal where ancient humans may have lived and evolved
The Science Behind Those Big Ol' Puppy-Dog Eyes
Our canine friends evolved extra muscle fibers around their eyes and mouths that allow them to make facial expressions humans find adorable
Stolen Charles Darwin Notebooks Returned After 22 Years
One of the items contains the renowned naturalist's first sketch of the Tree of Life
This Ancient Owl Hunted in the Daytime
The fossil evidence fills a gap in these birds' evolutionary history
Orangutan's Vocabularies Are Shaped by Socializing With Others, Just Like Humans
A new study reveals apes have distinct and flexible 'vocal personalities,' opposed to a fixed repertoire of calls
These Spiders Hunt in Packs to Catch Prey Hundreds of Times Their Size
New research reveals how some arachnids use a coordinated stop-and-start approach to find a meal
Sharks Apparently Do Sleep, Even With Their Eyes Wide Open
Scientists observed sleep in draughtsboard sharks by analyzing the animals' metabolism and posture
Ancient Ten-Armed Octopus Relative Named for Joe Biden
The discovery of 'Syllipsimopodi bideni' pushes back the fossil record of the vampyropods by over 82 million years
How Carnivorous Plants Evolved
Botanists are beginning to trace the origins of their gruesome appetites
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