Brain Size Matters When it Comes to Animal Self-Control
Chimpanzees may throw tantrums like toddlers, but their total brain size suggests they have more self-control than, say, a gerbil or fox squirrel, according to a new study of 36…
evolution
World Ranking Tracks Birds’ Evolutionary Distinctness
A team of international scientists, including a trio from Simon Fraser University, has published the world’s first ranking of evolutionary distinct birds under threat of extinction. These include a cave-dwelling bird…
Hummingbird Evolution Is Booming
Hummingbirds took just 22 million years to diversify from a single common ancestor into 338 tiny, colorful species. And they have not finished yet. Evolutionary biologist Jim McGuire of the…
Brain Scans Show Striking Similarities Between Dogs and Humans
A new brain-imaging study of mankind’s best friend has found a striking similarity in how humans and dogs — and perhaps many other mammals — process voice and emotion. Like…
How Evolution Shapes the Geometries of Life
Why does a mouse’s heart beat about the same number of times in its lifetime as an elephant’s, although the mouse lives about a year, while an elephant sees 70…
'Be Different or Die' Does Not Drive Evolution, Bird Study Finds.
A new study has found that species living together are not forced to evolve differently to avoid competing with each other, challenging a theory that has held since Darwin’s Origin…