New genetic research shows humans’ famed ability to adapt our behaviour and develop new tools and techniques has not always been enough to survive when times have grown tough.
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Articles on Evolution
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COVID-19 causes lung injury and lowers oxygen levels in patients because the SARS-CoV-2 virus attacks cells’ mitochondria. This attack is a throwback to a primitive war between viruses and bacteria.
In this week’s episode of The Conversation Weekly, we speak with three scientists who study the ways plants and animals evolve in a world dominated by humans.
Microbes are so tiny humans can’t see them without special equipment. But the discovery of 20 new species will help scientists map the evolutionary tree of life.
Bits of viral genes incorporated into human DNA have been linked to cancer, ALS and schizophrenia. But many of these genes may not be harmful, and could even protect against infectious disease.
We should not rule out taking a closer look at exoplanets that have a poorly oxygenated atmosphere.
Deep in the oceans dwell creatures that can evade many of the evolutionary drivers of life on land – and they remain seemingly unchanged through time.
Fossils of a giant killer mosasaur have been discovered, alongside the fossilised remains of its prey.
Climate change is exposing animals to temperatures outside of their normal limits – a new study has found that insects have a particularly weak ability to adjust.
Research on Chernobyl frogs has shown that the ionising radiation caused by the accident triggered a process of natural selection among these animals.
Narwhals, hummingbirds and the Asian sheepshead wrasse have opened scientists’ eyes to the complexity of nature.
The teeth of the tammar wallaby don’t grow in the way you’d expect – and scientists want to know why.
You may have heard science has reconsidered its view of Neanderthals but did you know human hybrid species played a key role in our evolution?
Not all human societies throughout history have been patriarchal.
As early modern humans spread across the globe, their gut microbes genetically changed with them. Understanding the origins of gut microbes could improve understanding of their role in human health.
Palaeontologists studied Pantolambda fossils in forensic detail to learn about its lifestyle.
Our ancient ancestors didn’t have clothes or houses – but that constant exposure to the sun helped their skin protect itself from the worst sun damage.
Axolotls are amphibians known for their ability to regrow their organs, including their brains. New research clarifies their regeneration process.
Human embryos are far more likely to die than come to term, an evolutionary trait seen across species. Laws granting personhood at conception ignore built-in embryo loss, with potentially grave consequences.
The most controversial feature of the New Zealand flora is the plethora of small-leaved trees and shrubs with wiry interlaced branches. Can a synthesis of competing explanations solve this mystery?
Top contributors
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John Long is a Friend of The Conversation.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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Honorary Associate Professor, UNSW Sydney
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Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University
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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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Senior Researcher in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Mark Elgar is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Evolutionary Biology, The University of Melbourne
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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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Adjunct Research Associate, Monash University
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Associate Professor, Monash University
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Evolutionary Ecology, Griffith University
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Professor of Earth System Science, UCL
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Research Associate in Evolutionary Biology, University of Adelaide
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Alice Clement is a Friend of The Conversation.
Research Associate in the College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University
