Evolution

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

Latest in Evolution

This year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry ‘rewards a revolution based on evolution’

Science

This year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry ‘rewards a revolution based on evolution’ This year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry ‘rewards a revolution based on evolution’

By Jillian Mock

Octopuses trip on ecstasy the same way we do

Science

Octopuses trip on ecstasy the same way we do Octopuses trip on ecstasy the same way we do

By Charlie Wood

Humans are natural runners—and this ancient gene mutation might have helped

Science

Humans are natural runners—and this ancient gene mutation might have helped Humans are natural runners—and this ancient gene mutation might have helped

By Jillian Mock

Why do we think tiny things are cute?

Science

Why do we think tiny things are cute? Why do we think tiny things are cute?

By Dana G. Smith

Researchers found proof of Neanderthals reproducing with other species

Science

Researchers found proof of Neanderthals reproducing with other species Researchers found proof of Neanderthals reproducing with other species

By Neel V. Patel

“Survival of the laziest” may help some species avoid extinction

Science

“Survival of the laziest” may help some species avoid extinction “Survival of the laziest” may help some species avoid extinction

By Luke Strotz/The Conversation

Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’

Science

Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’ Reports of Homo erectus’ laziness are ‘moronic’

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution owes more to his garden than the Galápagos

Science

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution owes more to his garden than the Galápagos Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution owes more to his garden than the Galápagos

By Ben Garrod/The Conversation

three domesticated foxes

Science

The genes that turn wild animals into pets The genes that turn wild animals into pets

By Neel V. Patel

How jumping genes hijack their way into the next generation of babies

Science

How jumping genes hijack their way into the next generation of babies How jumping genes hijack their way into the next generation of babies

Hurricanes may have made these lizards better huggers

Science

Hurricanes may have made these lizards better huggers Hurricanes may have made these lizards better huggers

Dogs spread across the Americas alongside humans. Then they got eaten.

Science

Dogs spread across the Americas alongside humans. Then they got eaten. Dogs spread across the Americas alongside humans. Then they got eaten.

Earth from space

Science

Earth’s first animals probably triggered a change in climate Earth’s first animals probably triggered a change in climate

By Neel V. Patel

Descended testicles: DNA study drops new hints on secrets of low hanging glands

Science

Descended testicles: DNA study drops new hints on secrets of low hanging glands Descended testicles: DNA study drops new hints on secrets of low hanging glands

By Neil Adams/The Conversation

We’re really bad at making babies

Science

We’re really bad at making babies We’re really bad at making babies

By Amy Schellenbaum

We haven’t been giving Neanderthals enough credit

Science

We haven’t been giving Neanderthals enough credit We haven’t been giving Neanderthals enough credit

By Annemieke Milks/The Conversation

A Tyrannosaurus rex

Science

Why it would have been impossible for a T. rex to stick out its tongue Why it would have been impossible for a T. rex to stick out its tongue

You are disgusting in so many ways. Scientists just outlined six of them.

Science

You are disgusting in so many ways. Scientists just outlined six of them. You are disgusting in so many ways. Scientists just outlined six of them.

By Neel V. Patel

How modern-day dinosaurs survived the apocalypse

Science

How modern-day dinosaurs survived the apocalypse How modern-day dinosaurs survived the apocalypse

Octopuses are not aliens, but boy are they a bunch of beautiful weirdos

Science

Octopuses are not aliens, but boy are they a bunch of beautiful weirdos Octopuses are not aliens, but boy are they a bunch of beautiful weirdos

By Sara Chodosh

green blooded lizard

Science

Green bones, green hearts, can’t lose: these lizards survive with toxic green blood Green bones, green hearts, can’t lose: these lizards survive with toxic green blood

Science

These animals spend their whole lives waiting to have sex, and then they die These animals spend their whole lives waiting to have sex, and then they die

By Sara Chodosh

a crocodile with a fin

Environment

This croco-dolphin has it all This croco-dolphin has it all

By Neel V. Patel

A man raises his eyebrows

Science

Humans may have a surprising evolutionary advantage: Expressive eyebrows Humans may have a surprising evolutionary advantage: Expressive eyebrows

By Mary Beth Griggs

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

Science

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

Hunting regulations are forcing animals to change in all sorts of ways

Science

Hunting regulations are forcing animals to change in all sorts of ways Hunting regulations are forcing animals to change in all sorts of ways

By Sara Chodosh

Science

Otters are too small, whales are too big, and seals are just right Otters are too small, whales are too big, and seals are just right

By Sara Chodosh

Platypus milk might save us from bacterial infections, and that’s not even the best thing about them

Science

Platypus milk might save us from bacterial infections, and that’s not even the best thing about them Platypus milk might save us from bacterial infections, and that’s not even the best thing about them

By Sara Chodosh

hispaniola solenodon

Science

These animals have nipples on their butts and that is not the most fascinating thing about them These animals have nipples on their butts and that is not the most fascinating thing about them

By Sara Chodosh

A primer on the primal origins of humans on Earth

Science

A primer on the primal origins of humans on Earth A primer on the primal origins of humans on Earth

By Mary Beth Griggs

Let’s talk about Charles Darwin’s sexy theory of selection

Science

Let’s talk about Charles Darwin’s sexy theory of selection Let’s talk about Charles Darwin’s sexy theory of selection

By Eleanor Cummins

Watch beetles shoot hot chemicals from their butts to escape toad bellies

Science

Watch beetles shoot hot chemicals from their butts to escape toad bellies Watch beetles shoot hot chemicals from their butts to escape toad bellies

By Jessica Boddy

Google wants to use naked mole rats to conquer death

Science

Google wants to use naked mole rats to conquer death Google wants to use naked mole rats to conquer death

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

Science

This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about This human-sized penguin isn’t even the largest ancient penguin we know about

By Rachel Feltman

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

Science

Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears Yetis are real, they just also happen to be Himalayan brown bears

By Sara Chodosh

offering daisies

Science

From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice? From an evolutionary perspective, does it make any sense to be nice?

By Eva M. Krockow, Andrew M. Colman, and Briony Pulford for The Conversation

T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid

Science

T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid T. rex arms, wiggly beluga heads, and tentacle-nosed moles: smart evolution sometimes looks stupid

By Sara Chodosh

We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking

Science

We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking We just found the king of all extinct giraffe cousins, and it’s very goofy looking

By Sara Chodosh

Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others.

Science

Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others. Great tits aren’t the only things evolving to adapt to humans. Here are 12 others.

By Sara Chodosh

Yes, your dog is making puppy eyes at you

Science

Yes, your dog is making puppy eyes at you Yes, your dog is making puppy eyes at you

By Sara Chodosh

Aftermath of the Scopes Trial: September 1929

Science

Archive Gallery: In Defense of Evolutionary Theory Archive Gallery: In Defense of Evolutionary Theory

A frog couple has sex. The male is yellow.

Science

These frogs might change color to avoid confusion during orgies These frogs might change color to avoid confusion during orgies

By Ellen Airhart

Science

A brief history of origin theories A brief history of origin theories

By Mary Beth Griggs

The biological proof that humans are still evolving

Science

The biological proof that humans are still evolving The biological proof that humans are still evolving

By Sara Chodosh

Look at the mysterious ‘dragon booger’ found in Vancouver’s Lost Lagoon

Science

Look at the mysterious ‘dragon booger’ found in Vancouver’s Lost Lagoon Look at the mysterious ‘dragon booger’ found in Vancouver’s Lost Lagoon

By Sara Chodosh

The terrifying way fire ants take advantage of hurricane floods

Science

The terrifying way fire ants take advantage of hurricane floods The terrifying way fire ants take advantage of hurricane floods

By Ellen Airhart

Science

How goldfish use booze to get through a hard winter How goldfish use booze to get through a hard winter

By Rachel Feltman

The earliest airborne mammals may have glided among the dinosaurs 160 million years ago

Science

The earliest airborne mammals may have glided among the dinosaurs 160 million years ago The earliest airborne mammals may have glided among the dinosaurs 160 million years ago

By Aparna Nathan

Ancient infant ape skull Nyanzapithecus alesi

Science

A 13 million year old skull could show us what our ancestors looked like A 13 million year old skull could show us what our ancestors looked like

By Sara Kiley Watson

Sorry, but New Zealand really needs to kill these adorable rabbits

Science

Sorry, but New Zealand really needs to kill these adorable rabbits Sorry, but New Zealand really needs to kill these adorable rabbits

By Sara Chodosh

You have a lot to teach your grandkids, and that might explain menopause

Science

You have a lot to teach your grandkids, and that might explain menopause You have a lot to teach your grandkids, and that might explain menopause

By Aparna Nathan

Derpy pug in blanket

Science

We still don’t really know where dogs came from We still don’t really know where dogs came from

By Sara Chodosh

Tardigrades could probably survive the otherwise complete annihilation of life on Earth

Science

Tardigrades could probably survive the otherwise complete annihilation of life on Earth Tardigrades could probably survive the otherwise complete annihilation of life on Earth

By Rachel Feltman

Grandma’s insomnia might be a product of evolution

Science

Grandma’s insomnia might be a product of evolution Grandma’s insomnia might be a product of evolution

By Aparna Nathan

Baby squirrels are less likely to die if they’re born early

Science

Baby squirrels are less likely to die if they’re born early Baby squirrels are less likely to die if they’re born early

Bonobo ladies get to choose their mates and boy oh boy are they picky

Science

Bonobo ladies get to choose their mates and boy oh boy are they picky Bonobo ladies get to choose their mates and boy oh boy are they picky

By Sara Chodosh

DNA may finally find a family for strange creatures that stumped Darwin

Science

DNA may finally find a family for strange creatures that stumped Darwin DNA may finally find a family for strange creatures that stumped Darwin

By Rachel Feltman

Science

The oldest fossils of our species just got older The oldest fossils of our species just got older

By Rachel Feltman

Dogs and wolves both get sad when you don’t treat them fairly

Science

Dogs and wolves both get sad when you don’t treat them fairly Dogs and wolves both get sad when you don’t treat them fairly

By Sara Chodosh

How the Galapagos cormorant forgot how to fly

Science

How the Galapagos cormorant forgot how to fly How the Galapagos cormorant forgot how to fly

By Mary Beth Griggs

Whales today are bigger than ever before. Now, we know why.

Environment

Whales today are bigger than ever before. Now, we know why. Whales today are bigger than ever before. Now, we know why.

By Mary Beth Griggs

Scientists tweaked natural mutations to create a better tomato

Science

Scientists tweaked natural mutations to create a better tomato Scientists tweaked natural mutations to create a better tomato

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

Science

Hopping parrotlets could teach robots how to fly Hopping parrotlets could teach robots how to fly

By Mary Beth Griggs

colorful bird feathers

Science

How we finally figured out the color of dinosaur feathers How we finally figured out the color of dinosaur feathers

By Richard O. Prum