DNA duplication linked to the origin and evolution of pine trees and their relatives
Plants are DNA hoarders. Adhering to the maxim of never throwing anything out that might be useful later, they often…
Read More
Fossil rodent teeth add North American twist to Caribbean mammals’ origin story
Two fossil teeth from a distant relative of North American gophers have scientists rethinking how some mammals reached the Caribbean…
Read More
Study presents new species of bizarre, extinct lizard previously misidentified as a bird
An international research team has described a new species of Oculudentavis, providing further evidence that the animal first identified as…
Read More
Taking a bite out of frog tooth evolution: Amphibian group has lost teeth more than 20 times
Scientists have long known that frogs are oddballs when it comes to teeth. Some have tiny teeth on their upper…
Read More
Escape artists: Birds learn to avoid flashy, hard-to-catch butterflies and their lookalikes
The showy colors of some butterflies could advertise their speed and nimbleness, much like a coat of bright yellow paint…
Read More
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,…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More