evolutionary

In the geological past, several groups of crocodiles evolved towards a morphology adapted to marine life. However, the extent of these adaptations and their evolutionary trajectories…

Ask a biologist why predators don't exterminate all their prey, part of the answer often is that there is an ongoing arms race between predators and prey, with both parties continuously…

Grass may transfer genes from their neighbours in the same way genetically modified crops are made, a new study has revealed. Research, led by the University of Sheffield, is the first to…

A dense rainforest or other verdant terrestrial vegetation may be what first comes to mind at the mention of photosynthesis. Yet the clouds of phytoplankton that fill the oceans are the…

Masturbation may give humans an evolutionary edgeSome might think masturbation is all about self-pleasure, but scientists now claim it’s far more significant than…

Key research areas in evolutionary reinforcement learning. Credit: Hui Bai et al.…

Tom Hanks, the beloved US actor, has joined the ranks of striking Hollywood writers, declaring that society is at "an evolutionary crossroads." Hanks, currently on a tour promoting his…

Ever since scientists first read the complete genetic codes of creatures like fruit flies and humans more than two decades ago, the field of genomics has promised major leaps forward in…

When wild flowering plants are sizing up others they may often end up in a marriage between close relatives rather than neighbours, a new study has revealed. The findings about the mating…

Cartilaginous fish have changed much more in the course of their evolutionary history than previously believed. Evidence for this thesis has been provided by new fossils of a ray-like shark,…