Human genes are one of the main reasons we can’t grow wings. And even if humans did have wings, they wouldn’t necessarily allow us to fly.
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Articles on Evolution
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When the dinosaurs went extinct, some species took over the world. Adaptability, not survivability, explains why.
The “winners” evolved in the warm, subtropical regions. Those that evolved in cooler temperate ecosystems – the “losers” – risk becoming extinct.
Mediterranean groupers are not alone: they are home to a wide variety of parasites.
Fungi and other organisms called oomycetes are
highly adaptable. That’s bad news for the global food supply.
Australia is home to 20 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world.
Researchers have discovered the first known example of a hybrid fungus that infects humans.
We studied 515 million-year-old brachiopod fossils from southern China. These marine invertebrates were common in the geological past.
Evolution seems to lead to increasing complexity of species. But perhaps a dominant, intelligent species like humans will always end up destroying itself.
A very early mammal ancestor is one of the most recent discoveries at the Joggins Fossil Cliffs in Nova Scotia. This new finding sheds further light on theories of mammalian evolution.
Squirrels and chipmunks are distant cousins who have grown a little more apart from each other over millions of years.
A bereavement counsellor on grief, loss and longing.
Studying bird evolution has led to engineering innovations, including drones that can fly sideways and backwards, and silent wind turbines.
Freedom of movement for survival.
Climate change is affecting our planet’s biodiversity, yet some species can find ways to adapt. Using citizen-science data, a French research team is studying how birds adjust to local heat levels.
New research suggests African monkeys crossed the ocean to South America earlier than previously thought.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is constantly mutating. What do these mutations reveal about this virus’s evolution? And will this knowledge help us to develop a long-lasting vaccine?
Using distance to avoid getting sick has deep evolutionary roots for humans and many other species.
The three-toed skink can give birth to live young and lay eggs in the same pregnancy. What can this little critter teach us about the evolution of live birth?
If we are not careful, the coronavirus pandemic could lead to a rise in xenophobic attitudes.
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
