Rise of marine predators reshaped ocean life as dramatically as mass extinctions
Evolutionary arms races between marine animals overhauled ocean ecosystems on scales similar to the mass extinctions triggered by global disasters,…
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Earliest example of a rapid-fire tongue found in ‘weird and wonderful’ extinct amphibians
Fossils of bizarre, armored amphibians known as albanerpetontids provide the oldest evidence of a slingshot-style tongue, a new Science study…
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Skeletal study suggests at least 11 fish species are capable of walking
An international team of scientists has identified at least 11 species of fish suspected to have land-walking abilities. The findings…
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In butterfly battle of sexes, males deploy ‘chastity belts’ but females fight back
Some male butterflies go to extreme lengths to ensure their paternity – sealing their mate’s genitalia with a waxy “chastity…
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How to get the upper body of a burrowing frog
You might think the buffest frogs would be high jumpers, but if you want shredded pecs, you should train like…
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Giant, fruit-gulping pigeon eaten into extinction on Pacific islands
A large fruit-eating bird from Tonga joins the dodo in the lineup of giant island pigeons hunted to extinction. Fossils…
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Plant study challenges tropics’ reputation as site of modern evolutionary innovation
In a surprise twist, a major group of flowering plants is evolving twice as quickly in temperate zones as the…
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Catnip’s chemical attractant is new twist on old family tradition
Catnip is most famous for its ability to launch felines into a euphoric frenzy, but the origin of its cat-attracting…
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Lyin’ eyes: Butterfly, moth eyespots may look the same, but likely evolved separately
The iconic eyespots that some moths and butterflies use to ward off predators likely evolved in distinct ways, providing insights…
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Coquí fossil from Puerto Rico takes title of oldest Caribbean frog
The bright chirp of the coquí frog, the national symbol of Puerto Rico, has likely resounded through Caribbean forests for…
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