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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Skulls gone wild: How and why some frogs evolved extreme heads
Many frogs look like a water balloon with legs, but don’t be fooled. Beneath slick skin, some species sport spines,…
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Bulb size matters: Uncovering the evolution of the plant kingdom’s doomsday preppers
Botanist Cody Coyotee Howard compares bulbs to living bunkers. With an underground stockpile of resources, bulbs can hunker down during…
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Scientists sequence 1,100 plants, illuminating 1 billion years of evolution
Plants are evolutionary champions, dominating Earth’s ecosystems for more than a billion years and making the planet habitable for countless…
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Butterflies and plants evolved in sync, but moth ‘ears’ predated bats
Butterflies and moths rank among the most diverse groups in the animal kingdom, with nearly 160,000 known species, ranging from…
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Florida Museum scientists zoom in on DNA to save thorny skates
With toothlike spines and barbs, thorny skates are just as sharp as their name suggests. But these shark relatives are…
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Plant lineage points to different evolutionary playbook for temperate species
An ancient, cosmopolitan lineage of plants is shaking up scientists’ understanding of how quickly species evolve in temperate ecosystems and…
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How megalodon’s teeth evolved into the ‘ultimate cutting tools’
Megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, is known only from its gigantic bladelike teeth, which can be more than…
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