Evolution

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

Latest in Evolution

Hands warming near a bonfire at night

Fire may have altered human DNA

Artist illustration of Archaeopteryx

Weird bird mouths go all the way back to the first avian dinosaur

a green caterpillar on a plant's stem

Caterpillars use tiny hairs to hear

By Margherita Bassi

Illustration of sailbacked dinosaur vomiting stomach contents

Oldest fossilized dinosaur vomit discovered in Germany

an illustration of a large shark holding a flag of the state of maryland.

Megalodon could become Maryland’s official state shark

By Laura Baisas

Comparison of short green and long red lipstick vine flowers

This odd vine contradicts long-standing evolutionary theory

a shark with brownish yellow scales and spots curled up among coral

‘Walking sharks’ lay eggs without breaking a sweat

By Margherita Bassi

Group of red kangaroos running in Australia

550-pound Ice Age kangaroos could still hop

Yellow bananas arranged against a blue background

Penis size may matter more to men than women

a pod of white beluga whales swimming off the coast of Alaska

The swinging sex lives of Alaska’s beluga whales

By Laura Baisas

A cross section of a dog's heart showing heartworm

This deadly dog ‘spaghetti’ has ancient origins

By Laura Baisas

a brown cow with a large stick in her mouth and mountains in the background

Veronika the Cow shocks scientists by using a tool

By Laura Baisas

Three harvest mice playing around and entwining their tails together to stop them from falling.

Female mice often have multiple sexual partners—for survival

By Margherita Bassi

a young chimpanzee hanging upside down in a tree

Baby chimpanzees like to free fall through trees

By Margherita Bassi

the remains of an ice age wolf

14,000-year-old woolly rhinoceros DNA extracted from wolf’s stomach

By Laura Baisas

A pair of Sacabambaspis fish, around 14 inches (35 centimeters) in length, which had distinct, forward-facing eyes and an armored head. No fossils of animals like Sacabambaspis from after the Late Ordovician Mass Extinction event have been discovered.

Mass death paved the way for the Age of Fishes

By Laura Baisas

Close up of Greenland shark with copepod attached to eye

Dissected Greenland shark eyeballs could help humans see forever

a couple holding hands as the sun sets over water

Why humans live and die for love

By Dr. Justin R. Garcia

An overhead view shows a group of diverse hands, with varying skin tones, arranged in a circle against a plain white background. The palms are open and facing upward, with some hands overlapping, creating a sense of unity and community. Some individuals wear rings or a beaded bracelet, and the sleeves of various shirts—plaid, denim, and solid colors—are visible at the edges of the frame.

Why do we have five fingers and toes?

By Laura Kiniry

a close up of a turtle with its head in its shell

Butt breathing and 5 other ways animals stay warm in winter

By Laura Baisas