Cats evolved in hot desert regions where there were lots of small animals to eat. So they evolved feet that are perfect for pouncing on prey, climbing, scratching and jumping from great heights.
Epigenetics is consistent with the theory of evolution – in fact, Darwin predicted that tiny parcels might somehow provide a flow of information from experience to inheritance.
How do scientists figure out when evolutionary events – like species splitting away from a common ancestor – happened? It turns out our DNA is a kind of molecular clock, keeping time via genetic changes.
Paul Oliver, Australian National University and Mike Lee, Flinders University
Tiny frogs that have spread across New Guinea’s isolated mountains could face an uncertain future if a warming climate pushes them higher up the peaks.
Taking the placenta as a case study, researchers are able to piece together how new organs evolve, by repurposing old tissues and using them to do new jobs.
In science, the word ‘theory’ has a very specific meaning that’s easy for nonscientists to misunderstand or misconstrue. Here’s what a theory must withstand to be accepted by the scientific community.