Viral evolution is a long game. Here’s where scientists think we could be headed.
Tag: Evolution (Biology)
Australia’s Trash Parrots Invent New Skill in Suburbs
Sydney’s clever and adaptable sulfur-crested cockatoos learn how to pry open garbage bins by watching one another.
This Endangered Bird Lost Its Song in Australia
New generations of a critically endangered species of songbird are failing to learn the tunes they need for courtship. It could lead to extinction.
He Was a Stick, She Was a Leaf; Together They Made History
A surprise clutch of eggs has solved a century-old leaf insect mystery.
Viking Age Smallpox Complicates Story of Viral Evolution
An extinct version of the smallpox virus dating to 1,400 years ago prompts speculation about viruses becoming more lethal over time.
Elephants Really Can’t Hold Their Liquor
Humans and other species have a gene mutation that lets them digest alcohol. In other species, it’s missing.
Did a Mutation Turbocharge the Coronavirus? Not Likely, Scientists Say
A preliminary report posted online claimed that a mutation had made the virus more transmissible. Geneticists say the evidence isn’t there.
This Strange Microbe May Mark One of Life’s Great Leaps
A organism living in ocean muck offers clues to the origins of the complex cells of all animals and plants.
Why Is Air Pollution So Harmful? DNA May Hold the Answer
It’s not just a modern problem. Airborne toxins are so pernicious that they may have shaped human evolution.
How Did Plants Conquer Land? These Humble Algae Hold Clues
Two algal species share important genes with all modern land plants, a new analysis finds.