Evolution News - SciTechDaily

Mystery Solved: Scientists Discover Unique Evolutionary Branch of Snakes

University of Helsinki — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 04:13:39 +0000

Scientists have resolved the evolutionary history of the mock viper, placing it in a unique new snake family, Psammodynastidae, which aids in understanding and conserving this distinct species. An international team, spearheaded by researchers from the University of Helsinki, has unraveled the evolutionary history of the mock viper. This snake, which only mildly venomous and [...]

Giant Fossil Discovery in Namibia Challenges Long-Held Evolutionary Theories

University of the Witwatersrand — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:23:37 +0000

Researchers have unearthed a giant basal tetrapod fossil in Namibia, revealing new aspects of early land animal evolution and highlighting the importance of southern continents in the study of these ancient species. An international team of paleontologists has discovered a fossilized giant basal tetrapod in Namibia. Basal tetrapods, early four-legged vertebrates with fingers and toes, [...]

“Completely Different” – Discovery of Strange 514-Million-Year-Old Slug Rewrites Our Understanding of Sea Creatures

University of Oxford — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 20:07:17 +0000

The newly discovered fossil of Shishania aculeata, an early mollusk without a shell but covered in protective spines, offers new insights into molluscan evolution, indicating a primitive, slug-like form during the Cambrian period. Researchers have discovered a new species of mollusk that lived 500 million years ago. The new fossil, called Shishania aculeata, reveals that [...]

Groundbreaking Study Identifies Universal Blueprint for Mammalian Brains

eLife — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 05:32:52 +0000

New research reveals that the cerebral cortex follows the same folding patterns across mammalian species, adhering to a universal fractal shape. Researchers have developed a novel method for describing the shape of the cerebral cortex, providing evidence that cortices across mammalian species exhibit a universal, fractal pattern. The study, published as a Reviewed Preprint in [...]

Biologists Uncover Hidden Genomic Legacy of the Dinosaur Extinction

University of Michigan — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 16:06:08 +0000

Research reveals that the end-Cretaceous mass extinction significantly altered bird genomes, contributing to the evolution and diversity of today’s birds. By analyzing genomic fossils and evolutionary shifts, the study provides deeper understanding of how mass extinctions shape life on Earth. Shortly after an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago, life for non-avian dinosaurs came [...]

New Insights Into the Origins of Life: How the First Molecules Survived Earth’s Primordial Conditions

Technical University of Munich (TUM) — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:46:59 +0000

A new study provides insights into the origins of life The origins of life continue to be a profound mystery. How did complex molecules form and remain stable over long periods without breaking down? A team at ORIGINS, a Munich-based Cluster of Excellence, has uncovered a mechanism that might have allowed the first RNA molecules [...]

Dog Brains Decoded: New Study Challenges Old Beliefs

Hun-Ren Ökológiai Kutatóközpont — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 23:01:09 +0000

Researchers Garamszegi and Kolm have found that domestication isn’t the sole factor in reducing brain size in canids. By examining 25 species, they show that ecological adaptations like hibernation in raccoon dogs also play a crucial role, urging a reconsideration of domestication’s evolutionary impact. A recent study by László Zsolt Garamszegi from the Institute of Ecology and [...]

The Real-Life “Hobbits” of Flores: Smallest Arm Bone in Human History Sheds Light on Mysterious Hominin Species

Griffith University — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:00:37 +0000

Researchers have uncovered early human fossils on Flores Island, Indonesia, revealing insights into the mysterious ‘Hobbits’ of Flores, Homo floresiensis. Dated 700,000 years ago, the new findings from the Mata Menge site include the smallest humerus ever found, supporting theories of significant body size reduction in early hominins isolated on the island. Discovery of Early [...]

Harvard Researchers Discover Rare Soft-Bodied Vertebrate Fossil in American Great Basin

Harvard University — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 19:44:42 +0000

The recent uncovering of a new soft-bodied vertebrate fossil in the American Great Basin region enhances our knowledge of vertebrate evolution. Harvard scientists discovered a new chordate species, Nuucichthys rhynchocephalus, in the American Great Basin, offering rare insights into the early evolution of vertebrates and their morphological transitions from invertebrates. The Cambrian fossil record shows [...]

The Evolutionary Secrets Behind Endurance: New Research Reveals That Humans Are Born To Run

University of California - Davis — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 06:24:47 +0000

New research reveals that endurance hunting is a common practice among humans. Human endurance running capabilities are exceptional among mammals, linked to evolutionary traits for persistence hunting. Recent research supported by historical data argue that these traits, appearing nearly 2 million years ago, were crucial for hunting large game. The 2024 Summer Olympics are in [...]

Incredibly Rare 520-Million-Year-Old Worm Fossil Solves Ancient Evolutionary Mystery

Durham University — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 20:45:51 +0000

Durham University researchers discovered an extraordinarily detailed 520-million-year-old fossil, Youti yuanshi, revealing significant evolutionary insights into early arthropods’ complex anatomy and development. A recent study conducted by researchers at Durham University has unveiled an exceptionally rare and detailed fossil named Youti yuanshi, providing a glimpse into one of the earliest ancestors of modern insects, spiders, [...]

Decoding Earth’s Ancient Atmosphere: Life’s Role in Shaping Our World

Syracuse University — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:41:38 +0000

A recent scientific study traces the co-evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and life over 500 million years, revealing how organisms like algae have modified and adapted to changing environmental conditions, ultimately enhancing Earth’s habitability. Over the past 500 million years, interactions between the atmosphere, the ocean, and life on Earth have created conditions that allowed [...]

New Research Unravels the Evolutionary Secrets of Ancient Seas’ Forgotten Rulers

University of Bristol — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 19:18:27 +0000

A new study indicates that despite significant evolutionary innovations post-extinction, brachiopods failed to match the species diversity of molluscs, challenging assumptions about their adaptive success and shedding light on the complexities of biodiversity evolution. Researchers from the University of Bristol, the Open University, and the China University of Geosciences have discovered that while brachiopods were [...]

New Study: These Bizarre Blood-Sucking Fish Have a “Jaw-Dropping” Evolutionary Origin

Northwestern University — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 21:22:16 +0000

These invasive, blood-sucking fish “may hold the key to understanding where we came from.” One of only two jawless vertebrates, sea lampreys, which are causing significant damage to Midwestern fisheries, are also aiding scientists in understanding the origins of two crucial stem cells that played a key role in the evolution of vertebrates. Northwestern University [...]

Why Are Tropical Birds So Colorful? New Study Sheds Light

Field Museum — Sat, 27 Jul 2024 11:44:32 +0000

A family tree encompassing 9,409 bird species has enabled scientists to uncover why the tropics host such a diverse array of colorful birds and how these vibrant colors have evolved and dispersed over time. The color palette of birds visible from your window varies based on your location. In regions far from the Equator, birds [...]

How Did Bats Begin to Fly? Science Unfolds Their Ancient Secrets

PeerJ — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Research from the University of Washington provides new insights into bat evolution, suggesting a transition from gliding ancestors based on limb morphology analysis of extinct and extant mammals. The study challenges previous concepts of bat limb evolution and calls for more fossils to clarify this transition. In new research published today (July 25) in PeerJ [...]

Ancient Fossil Discovery in South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind Offers New Insights Into Human Origins

University of the Witwatersrand — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 16:09:02 +0000

New fossil discoveries at South Africa’s Kromdraai site offer groundbreaking insights into the ancient ecosystems and their role in shaping human evolution, highlighting the interplay between hominins and various bovid species. In the sprawling savannas of South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind, the Kromdraai archaeological site has unveiled a new discovery that significantly enhances our understanding [...]

Survival at Extreme Depths: How Comb Jellies Defy Ocean Pressure

Michelle Franklin, University of California – San Diego — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 03:15:42 +0000

UC San Diego researchers discovered that ctenophores in the deep sea have unique lipid adaptations, called “homeocurvature,” allowing survival in high pressures. These findings might help understand diseases like Alzheimer’s, where similar lipids play a role. The deep sea is one of the most hostile environments on earth. The temperature is freezing cold, there is [...]

34-Million-Year-Old Snake Discovered in Wyoming Changes Our Understanding of Evolution

University of Alberta — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 21:34:14 +0000

Ancient snakes have been unearthed, shedding light on the continent’s slithering past. A newly discovered fossil snake species in Wyoming is transforming our understanding of snake evolution. Unearthed from a burrow where four well-preserved specimens were found intertwined, this species, named Hibernophis breithaupti, lived in North America 34 million years ago. This discovery provides valuable [...]

Biologists Have Tracked 66 Million Years of Mammalian Diversity

University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 13:50:14 +0000

Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln studied North America’s fossil record over 66 million years, revealing insights into mammalian diversity and ecological shifts that could inform current conservation strategies. To comprehend the present, looking to history can be enlightening. Recent research from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln delved into the fossil record spanning 66 million years, [...]

Unlocking Evolution: Breakthroughs in Fruit Fly Genomic Sequencing

PLOS — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 18:00:50 +0000

Researchers used a hybrid approach to sequence DNA from individual wild flies and museum specimens. New research has significantly advanced fruit fly genomics by sequencing 179 species and improving the phylogenetic tree for 360 species, showing that comprehensive genome sequencing is achievable on a small budget. Expanding Genomic Horizons in Fruit Fly Research A multitude [...]

Unlocking the Secrets of LUCA, Earth’s Earliest Life Form

University of Bristol — Wed, 17 Jul 2024 03:10:45 +0000

A University of Bristol-led study found that life on Earth, stemming from a common ancestor called LUCA, flourished soon after the planet’s formation. Through genetic analysis and evolutionary modeling, researchers pinpointed LUCA’s existence to about 4.2 billion years ago, revealing it as a complex organism with an early immune system integral to Earth’s earliest ecosystems. [...]

Why Do Fireflies Glow? New Research Upends Current Origin Theories

PNAS Nexus — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:17:18 +0000

Recent genomic research shows firefly bioluminescence predates their toxic traits, possibly evolving as a response to oxidative stress. Genomic analysis has overturned the leading hypothesis for the origin of firefly lights. Previously, it was believed that the Lampyridae family of beetles, commonly known as fireflies, initially evolved their bright lights as a warning signal advertising [...]

Geoscientists Unlock the Mystery: Why We Haven’t Met Aliens Yet

Amanda Siegfried, University of Texas at Dallas — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 02:03:31 +0000

Researchers suggest that the scarcity of oceans, continents, and long-term plate tectonics on exoplanets likely explains the rarity of advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, challenging the estimates provided by the Drake equation and addressing the Fermi paradox. New research by University of Texas at Dallas geoscientist Dr. Robert Stern and a colleague suggests a geological explanation for [...]