Shipwreck Harbors a Rich Spatially Structured Microbial Community
Shipwrecks act as artificial reefs and provide a substrate and nutrients for a great diversity of microorganisms, which can contribute to either the deterioration or preservation of the ship.
Searching the Ancient Depths of a Reptilian Genome Yields Insight into all Vertebrates
Scientists searching the most ancient corners of the genome of a reptile native to New Zealand found patterns that help explain how the genomes of all vertebrates took shape, according to a recently published study.
Primate Voice Boxes are Evolving at a Rapid Pace
Scientists have discovered that the larynx, or voice box, of primates is significantly larger relative to body size, has greater variation, and is under faster rates of evolution than in other mammals.
The Evolution of Colourful Feathers Shines Light on the Missing Link in Evolution by Natural Selection
There's a paradox within the theory of evolution: The life forms that exist today are here because they were able to change when past environments disappeared. Yet, organisms evolve to fit into specific environmental niches.
Researchers Have Sequenced the Genome of the Tuatara, Revealing its Unique Evolutionary History
A global team of researchers has partnered up with the Māori tribe Ngātiwai to sequence the genome of the tuatara, a rare reptile endemic to New Zealand.
Herbivores, Not Predators, Most at Risk of Extinction
One million years ago, the extinction of large-bodied plant-eaters changed the trajectory of life on Earth.
Scientists Discover Secret Behind Earth’s Biodiversity Hotspots
The research suggests that biodiversity hotspots - such as the Daintree Rainforest in Australia and the Cloud Forests of Ecuador - are teeming with species because they have been ecologically stable for long periods of time, allowing evolution to forge ahead undisturbed.
New Native Hawaiian Land Snail Species Discovered
Scientists have described a new native Hawaiian land snail species, sounding a rare, hopeful note in a story rife with extinction.
Giant, Fruit-Gulping Pigeon Eaten into Extinction on Pacific Islands
A large fruit-eating bird from Tonga joins the dodo in the lineup of giant island pigeons hunted to extinction.
Ancient Ancestors of Domestic Cat was Opportunistic
An international study by researchers from the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the University of Tübingen has determined that the first known cats in Europe were opportunistic and did not rely directly on humans for survival.
First Evidence of Snake-Like Venom Glands Found in Amphibians
Caecilians are limbless amphibians that, to the untrained eye, can be easily mistaken for snakes.
Sledge Dogs Closely Related to 9,500-Year-Old ‘Ancient Dog’
A new study on the origins of the sledge dog by the University of Copenhagen suggests they adapted to the Artic much earlier than previously thought.
New UD study shows that tropical forest loss is increased by large-scale land acquisitions
In recent years, there has been a rise in foreign and domestic large-scale land acquisitions--defined as being at least roughly one square mile--in Latin America, Asia, and Africa where investing countries and multinational investors take out long-term contracts to use the land for various enterprises.
Human activity threatens 50 billion years of vertebrate evolutionary history
A new study maps for the first time the evolutionary history of the world's terrestrial vertebrates: amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles.
On the hunt for megafauna in North America
Research from Curtin University has found that pre-historic climate change does not explain the extinction of megafauna in North America at the end of the last Ice Age.
