In the evolution of walking, the hip bone connected to the rib bones
Before the evolution of legs from fins, the axial skeleton — including the bones of the head, neck, back and ribs — was already going through changes that would eventually…
Killer instinct drove evolution of mammals’ predatory ancestors
The evolutionary success of the first large predators on land was driven by their need to improve as killers, researchers at the University of Bristol and the Open University suggest.…
‘Triple star’ discovery could revolutionize understanding of stellar evolution
A ground-breaking new discovery by University of Leeds scientists could transform the way astronomers understand some of the biggest and most common stars in the Universe. Research by PhD student…
Does urbanization trigger plant evolution?
Urban environments have become hotspots for understanding how rapid evolution occurs in response to extreme environmental changes. These habitats exert selective pressures on resident organisms that impact their evolutionary trajectories.…
Holy bat skull! Fossil adds vital piece to bat evolution puzzle
Of all the mammals, bats have one of the poorest fossil records, with palaeontologists estimating that about 80 per cent of it is missing. This has made it difficult to…
Algae provide clues about 600 million years of plant evolution
The Earth’s surface is covered by plants. They make up the majority of biomass on land and exhibit a wide range of diversity, from mosses to trees. This astounding biodiversity…