The Evolutionary Link Between Diet and Stomach Acidity
An analysis of data on stomach acidity and diet in birds and mammals suggests that high levels of stomach acidity developed not to help animals break down food, but to…
evolution
Diverse Parental Genes Lead to Taller, Smarter Children, Finds Extensive Study
Those who are born to parents from diverse genetic backgrounds tend to be faster-thinking and taller than others, a new study led by Dr Peter Joshi of the University of…
Signs of Democracy Seen in Typically Authoritarian Baboon Society
When it’s time to travel, wild olive baboons make democratic decisions about where to go, even though they live in hierarchical societies. The discovery is a surprise, researchers report online…
Sexual Intrigue in Nematodes: In Battle of the Sexes, a Single Night with a New York Male is Enough to Kill
Men and women often enter relationships with different long-term goals. In the animal world, differences in approaches to reproductive success can lead to sexual conflict. In a new study, scientists…
Study Provides New Insights into Origin, Evolution of Snakes
According to a new study published online in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology, the most recent common ancestor of all snakes was a nocturnal, stealth-hunting predator that had tiny hindlimbs…
How Birds Got Their Beaks
When birds got their wings, they lost the clawed fingers wielded by their dinosaur relatives. But they evolved a new “finger”—in their face. And what a boon that has been….