Dozens of animals, some on land but many in the ocean, can produce light within their bodies through chemical reactions. Scientists are still trying to understand when and why this trait developed.
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Articles on Evolution
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For dolphins, childish play may be useful practice for adult life.
Humans aren’t the only animals that have names for each other − and studying animals that use names can teach researchers more about how human names evolved.
Giraffe necks are a hot topic among biologists. A new study contradicts an older theory that says male giraffes need long necks to fight over mates.
When extreme heat arrives, people can seek safety in air-conditioned buildings. Are wild animals doomed?
Human culture has changed too fast for evolution to keep up.
New research on cuckoos suggests the battle between exploiters and victims may be a key reason for life’s enormous diversity.
Giraffes show remarkable genetic differences between populations.
The bigger the brain, the better we are at finding fruit. But is that true? A new study on wild primates refutes this idea.
Fossilized skin belonging to an amniote was recently discovered. The skin was so well-preserved, that its cellular structures could be identified.
It may not be obvious to the human ear but birds of the same species sing in different dialects.
Paleontologist Bill Ausich explains whether dinosaurs could ever roam the Earth again. Listen on The Conversation’s Curious Kids podcast.
Male proboscis monkeys are known for their large, bulbous nose appendages. It’s a strange feature to evolve – with new research shedding light on their unlikely origin story.
It’s a question of evolution and adaptation.
Ever been made to feel small? Here’s why being petite is no bad thing.
The origin of life on Earth is one of the biggest mysteries in science.
Symbiosis is so much part of life on Earth that it has shaped the evolution and structure of cells. It’s happening almost everywhere we look, including inside our gut.
The last time that these two groups of cicadas emerged from underground together, Thomas Jefferson was president.
The extinction of the dinosaurs sparked an explosion of bird species, according to the largest-ever study of bird genetics.
Horse fossils are abundant and widespread across North America. Scientists often use their long history to illustrate how species evolve in response to a changing environment.
Top contributors
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Strategic Professor in Palaeontology, Flinders University
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Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Academic Lead of UNSW's Grand Challenges Program, UNSW Sydney
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Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University
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Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney
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Senior Lecturer in Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology, Life Sciences at the University of Bath, University of Bath
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Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at the Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath
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Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Monash University
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Senior Researcher in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Adjunct Research Associate, Monash University
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Jenny Graves is a Friend of The Conversation.
Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Vice Chancellor's Fellow, La Trobe University
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Principal Lecturer in Wildlife Conservation, Nottingham Trent University
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Mark Elgar is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Melbourne
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Professor of Natural Sciences, UCL
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Senior lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, University of Bristol
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Evolutionary Ecology, Griffith University
