They drew with crayons, possibly fed on maggots and maybe even kissed us: Forty millenniums later, our ancient human cousins continued to make news.
Tag: Evolution (Biology)
How Did Hands Evolve? Look to Your Anus, a New Study Suggests.
The evolutionary blueprint for hands was borrowed in part from a much older genetic plan for our nether regions, a new study suggests.
Uncovering the Genes That Let Our Ancestors Walk Upright
A new study reveals some of the crucial molecular steps on the path to bipedalism.
How the Pygmy Sea Horse Lost Its Snout
The genome of a small, remarkable sea horse offers a surprising lesson in nature’s creativity.
How the Cockroach Took Over the World
A genetic analysis of the German cockroach explained its rise in southern Asia millenniums ago, and how it eventually turned up in your kitchen.
What’s Next for the Coronavirus?
Scientists studying the virus’s continuing evolution, and the body’s immune responses, hope to head off a resurgence and to better understand long Covid.
For Some Mammals, Large Adult Daughters, Not Sons, Are the Norm
Despite a common narrative that male mammals tend to dwarf female ones, fewer than half of mammalian species display that pattern, a new study suggests.
Humanity’s Ancestors Nearly Died Out, Genetic Study Suggests
The population crashed following climate change about 930,000 years ago, scientists concluded. Other experts aren’t convinced by the analysis.
From Alpacas to Yaks, Mammal DNA Yields Its Secrets
The genomes of monkeys, bats, whales and many other mammals are helping scientists tackle big questions about physiology, evolution and one very famous sled dog.
Happy Birthday, Omicron
One year after the variant’s discovery, virologists are still scrambling to keep up with Omicron’s rapid evolution.