Evolution
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The Earth’s magnetic field is vital for life – without it, the Sun’s radiation would sterilize the planet. But a new study suggests we wouldn’t be here at all if that magnetic field hadn’t almost completely collapsed half a billion years ago.
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We now know just how the earliest land plants, ancient algae, conquered terrestrial Earth hundreds of millions of years ago and laid the (literal) groundwork for all subsequent life. It highlights the fascinating genetic strategies of plant evolution.
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Scientists have discovered that a once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event is underway, as two lifeforms have merged into one organism that boasts abilities its peers would envy. Last time this happened, Earth got plants.
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Fractals are a fascinating type of pattern for mathematics nerds, with their repeating, artificial-looking structures. Now, scientists have discovered the first known fractal protein – and it seems to be an evolutionary accident.
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Venus may be a hellscape, but there’s a chance some forms of life could evolve there. A new MIT study has now found that the building blocks of life are surprisingly stable in highly concentrated sulfuric acid – which Venus’ clouds are made of.
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Scientists have uncovered the oldest fossilized forest, dating back 390 million years. The ancient forest was made up of the first trees to ever grow on Earth – bizarre “prototype” trees that had to rip their skeletons apart in order to grow.
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The formation of part of the human brain that regulates vital functions is triggered in an identical way in the sea lamprey, a new study has found. The discovery suggests that we’re related to these primitive creatures.
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Could ADHD have evolved in human populations to enhance a tribe's chances of successful foraging? A new study put this novel hypothesis to the test, recruiting several hundred people to play a specially made game measuring their foraging skills.
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On the 215th anniversary of the birth of the world's most famous naturalist Charles Darwin, scientists have painstakingly completed an inventory of his eclectic, extensive personal library, and 9,300 titles are now available to view online for free.
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Scientists have long puzzled over why some dinosaurs had feathers and wings long before they evolved the ability of flight. Experiments with a robot dinosaur may now have revealed the answer – they used them for hunting.
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Pseudoscorpions have been seen hitching a ride on a true scorpion, and it’s the first time this interspecific rideshare has been observed. While they have eight legs of their own, these tiny insects prefer to sit back and relax on their road trips.
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Scientists have given yeast a brand new ability – gaining energy from light. The technique was remarkably easy, the team says, and could not only help us understand evolution but make better beer and biofuel.
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