Evolution(Page 2)

The latest science on how life has adapted and changed over generations—and how new species come to be.

Latest in Evolution

Illustration of a terror bird standing by river

Meat-eating terror birds could grow up to 12 feet tall Meat-eating terror birds could grow up to 12 feet tall

a tadpole swimming

A rock in Argentina turns out to be the oldest tadpole fossil ever found A rock in Argentina turns out to be the oldest tadpole fossil ever found

By Laura Baisas

Thalattosuchian skulls. Showing the semi-aquatic species (A and B), and the fully aquatic metriorhynchid (C).

Why don’t we have deep sea crocodiles? Why don’t we have deep sea crocodiles?

An illustration of Lomankus edgecombei. This arthropod lived about 538 to 485 million years ago in dark and low-oxygen environments.

450-million-year-old arthropod found preserved in fool’s gold 450-million-year-old arthropod found preserved in fool’s gold

By Laura Baisas

Silhouette of a loving couple hugging and kissing at sunset on the beach.

The origins of kissing may have a lot to do with body hair The origins of kissing may have a lot to do with body hair

a rider in a headless horseman costume rides by yellow fall leaves

The Headless Horseman shares her secrets The Headless Horseman shares her secrets

By Laura Baisas

two stalk-eyed flies fight on a stick. these flies have long antennae with eyeballs on the tips

Flies with shorter eye-stalks act aggressively because females are less attracted to them Flies with shorter eye-stalks act aggressively because females are less attracted to them

By Laura Baisas

a close up of four pieces of sliced bread

Our love of delicious carbs may go back 800,000 years Our love of delicious carbs may go back 800,000 years

By Laura Baisas

An illustration showing an imposing fully-grown male Palaeoloxodon turkmenicus wandering India’a Kashmir Valley, 400,000 years ago, towering over a herd of Central Asian red deer. In the distance, a small band of prehistoric humans set up a campfire to cook their meal.

Mysterious elephant species uncovered with 87 prehistoric stone tools Mysterious elephant species uncovered with 87 prehistoric stone tools

By Laura Baisas

Fungi growing on circle and cross arrangement wood blocks

A simple experiment revealed the complex ‘thoughts’ of fungi A simple experiment revealed the complex ‘thoughts’ of fungi

a finch with a sharp beak and dark plumage holds a round seed in its beak

Scientists simulate calls of ‘future finches’ Scientists simulate calls of ‘future finches’

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a large hawk-like bird carrying a long tailed rodent in its claws

With fearsome feet, hawk-sized Cretaceous birds could scoop up baby dinos With fearsome feet, hawk-sized Cretaceous birds could scoop up baby dinos

By Laura Baisas

This picture shows many tiny cells in which DNA is abundantly included inside the cells.

Oldest living microbes found in 2-billion-year-old rock Oldest living microbes found in 2-billion-year-old rock

Geckos have a ‘sixth sense’ Geckos have a ‘sixth sense’

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a pterosaur with a short tail walking with legs and its wings on the ground

The first true flying vertebrates walked before they could soar The first true flying vertebrates walked before they could soar

By Laura Baisas

a dolphin in a tank with an open mouth

Bottlenose dolphins ‘smile’ to say it’s time to play Bottlenose dolphins ‘smile’ to say it’s time to play

By Laura Baisas

a sea robin fish with wide pectoral fins and six crab-like legs

This fish has 6 legs that act like tongues This fish has 6 legs that act like tongues

By Laura Baisas

a CT scan of two jaw fossils from early mammals

A 225-million-year-old fossilized jaw joint shifts evolutionary timeline A 225-million-year-old fossilized jaw joint shifts evolutionary timeline

By Laura Baisas

Water anole breathing through air bubble underwater

This lizard’s skin creates an underwater bubble helmet This lizard’s skin creates an underwater bubble helmet

a polar bear cub comes out of a den with its paw up

Polar bears adapted to the Arctic just 70,000 years ago Polar bears adapted to the Arctic just 70,000 years ago

By Laura Baisas

a reservoir in colombia with very low water levels due to drought

Mega El Niños helped kill 90 percent of life on Earth Mega El Niños helped kill 90 percent of life on Earth

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a long gray coelacanth swimming in its native habitat

The ‘living fossil’ that thrived during a mass extinction The ‘living fossil’ that thrived during a mass extinction

By Laura Baisas

neanderthal teeth in a cave

Neanderthals’ social isolation may have sped up their extinction Neanderthals’ social isolation may have sped up their extinction

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a small bird with light brown, black, and white plummage. it has a long beak with sharp teeth

‘Weird’ prehistoric bird had a weaponized beak with teeth ‘Weird’ prehistoric bird had a weaponized beak with teeth

By Laura Baisas

Mini mum is one of the smallest frogs in the world, described by Mark D. Scherz and his colleagues in 2019. These tiny frogs from southeastern Madagascar live in amongst the leaf litter and feed on tiny mites. They are amongst the target species of the GEMINI project, because their closest relatives are ten times larger.

Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals

an illustration of a striped tasmanian tiger with sharp teeth eating the body of a wombat-like creature

New bone-crushing Tasmanian tiger species dug up by paleontologists New bone-crushing Tasmanian tiger species dug up by paleontologists

By Laura Baisas

a pterosaur speices flaps its wings to fly, while another uses them to soar

‘Remarkable’ fossils offer clues to perplexing pterosaur question ‘Remarkable’ fossils offer clues to perplexing pterosaur question

By Laura Baisas

several loaves of golden rustic looking bread on a table

How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs How farming helped humans evolve to get more energy from carbs

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of Sasayamagnomus saegusai

Tiny triceratops ancestor named after gnomes Tiny triceratops ancestor named after gnomes

an orange starfish with four arms of similar size and one shorter arm sits on some rocks

How starfish lose limbs (on purpose) and survive How starfish lose limbs (on purpose) and survive

By Laura Baisas

a moth with a yellow body, pink legs, and pink and yellow wings sits on a green leaf

The ‘disco’ gene could help moths tell time The ‘disco’ gene could help moths tell time

By Laura Baisas

an insect lays on its back with its abdomen and legs in the air. it is playing dead to trick predators

Antlion larvae can ‘play dead’ for more than an hour–then, things get random Antlion larvae can ‘play dead’ for more than an hour–then, things get random

By Laura Baisas

Anatomically accurate sculpture of a dodo

The dodo was faster and smarter than you think The dodo was faster and smarter than you think

This eyeless cavefish grows extra taste buds on its head This eyeless cavefish grows extra taste buds on its head

Specimen photographed with autofluorescence under confocal microscope at 639 nm; different colors indicate z-depth, with violet to red gradient representing the shallowest to deepest planes, respectively.

Extremely rare tardigrade fossils seen in unprecedented detail Extremely rare tardigrade fossils seen in unprecedented detail

a lemur in an enclosure stares into a takeout container

Lemurs use smell, social cues, and superior memories to find treats Lemurs use smell, social cues, and superior memories to find treats

By Laura Baisas

four different types of corn. one is long and yellow, the other is shorter and yellow. the other two are shorter and black

Love corn? Thank interbreeding Love corn? Thank interbreeding

By Laura Baisas

human bones belonging to an small, extinct, early human secies

New ‘Hobbit’ fossils discovered on Indonesia’s Flores island New ‘Hobbit’ fossils discovered on Indonesia’s Flores island

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a small penguin with light black, yellow, and white feathers on a new zealand beach

Tiny fossil reveals when penguins evolved their surprisingly useful wings Tiny fossil reveals when penguins evolved their surprisingly useful wings

By Laura Baisas

An artist’s reconstruction of Shishania aculeata as it would have appeared in life as viewed from the top, side and bottom (left to right). This early mollusk lived about 514 million years ago.

A ‘rotting little plastic bag’ was actually a 514 million-year-old fossil A ‘rotting little plastic bag’ was actually a 514 million-year-old fossil

By Laura Baisas

Artist’s impression of the lobate macrofossils living 2.1 billion years ago in a shallow marine inland sea created by the collision of two continents.

Study claims life tried to evolve 1.5 billion years earlier than we thought Study claims life tried to evolve 1.5 billion years earlier than we thought

a firefly with its bottom half illuminated

A new theory on why fireflies glow—and why they need help A new theory on why fireflies glow—and why they need help

By Laura Baisas

dead bird specimens with blue and green plumage in museum storage

All living birds share an ‘iridescent’ ancestor All living birds share an ‘iridescent’ ancestor

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of an long cylindrical arthropod. it has big blue eyes, a body that looks like a taco shell, several short red legs, and a tail

This taco-shaped critter is a big (evolutionary) deal This taco-shaped critter is a big (evolutionary) deal

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of two mouse-like animals in a forest, with a stegosaurus walking by and a mosquito flying over them

Baby teeth reveal surprisingly long lifespans of small Jurassic mammals Baby teeth reveal surprisingly long lifespans of small Jurassic mammals

By Laura Baisas

a peacock butterfly on a pink plant. its wings are primarily red, with black, yellow, and blue circles

Butterflies and moths suck up pollen with static electricity Butterflies and moths suck up pollen with static electricity

By Laura Baisas

five chimpanzeess sitting in tall, green grass

Chimp conversations can take on human-like chaos Chimp conversations can take on human-like chaos

By Laura Baisas

An illustration of newly discovered crocodile relative named Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis on the coast of an ancient ocean called Panthalassa.

Say hello to the surprising crocodile relative Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis Say hello to the surprising crocodile relative Benggwigwishingasuchus eremicarminis

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a large shark jumping out of the water and eating a winged dinosaur

When the ocean got hot, the sharks bulked up When the ocean got hot, the sharks bulked up

By Laura Baisas

a nearly complete skeleton of a salamander-like creature that lived 300 million years ago. it's head is round and shaped like a toilet seat

This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head

By Laura Baisas

green and red grapes

If dinosaurs hadn’t gone extinct, we may not have delicious grapes If dinosaurs hadn’t gone extinct, we may not have delicious grapes

By Laura Baisas

Five of the comb jelly species featured in a new study on how their cells adapt to water pressures. Red coloration as seen in the two specimens at right is common among deep-sea animals.

Comb jellies won’t give into the extreme pressures of deep-sea life Comb jellies won’t give into the extreme pressures of deep-sea life

By Laura Baisas

Yes, humans are still evolving Yes, humans are still evolving

By Lauren Leffer

an illustration of three long-necked and marine reptiles swimming with four paddle shaped limbs in an ancient sea

This giant polar reptile once stalked an ancient super-ocean This giant polar reptile once stalked an ancient super-ocean

By Laura Baisas

a school of yellow and white swim near a reef

Fish swimming together fare better in turbulent waters Fish swimming together fare better in turbulent waters

By Laura Baisas

An artistic life reconstruction of Genyornis newtoni, the last of the dromornithids, at the water’s edge

Giant 500-pound geese once honked around the Australian outback Giant 500-pound geese once honked around the Australian outback

By Laura Baisas

a green stick insect blending into a green plant

Chance or pattern? Stick insects show repeatable evolution in action Chance or pattern? Stick insects show repeatable evolution in action

By Laura Baisas

A proboscis monkey in a mangrove conservation forest in Tarakan, North Borneo, Indonesia. It is light brown in color with a very large, round, droopy, and prominent nose.

These monkeys have giant noses for exactly the reason you think These monkeys have giant noses for exactly the reason you think

By Laura Baisas

Fluorescent image of a human body louse with Yersinia pestis infection (seen in orange/red) in the Pawlowsky glands.

Body lice may be pretty good spreading bubonic plague Body lice may be pretty good spreading bubonic plague

By Laura Baisas

A fossilized dinosaur skin specimen under natural light (upper half) and ultraviolet light (lower half) showing the orange-yellow fluorescence of the fossil skin.

Rare skin fossil sheds new light on dinosaur feathers Rare skin fossil sheds new light on dinosaur feathers

By Laura Baisas

rock art depicting a human hunting various animals

How sweat and stamina helped make humans exceptional runners–and hunters How sweat and stamina helped make humans exceptional runners–and hunters

By Laura Baisas

A male African elephant named Doma and a female named Kariba greet one another. Doma touches Kariba´s temporal gland while flapping his ears and Kariba holds her ears spread.

Expressive elephants use gestures and vocal cues to communicate Expressive elephants use gestures and vocal cues to communicate

By Laura Baisas

two adult green-rumped parrots with three nestlings behind them with their mouths open waiting for food

Why these parrots sometimes kill each other’s chicks Why these parrots sometimes kill each other’s chicks

By Laura Baisas

three sperm whales swimming near the surface of the ocean

Sperm whales may have their own ‘alphabet’ Sperm whales may have their own ‘alphabet’

By Laura Baisas