Environmental change doesn’t affect evolution in a single, predictable way. In large-scale computer simulations, scientists discovered that some fluctuating conditions help populations evolve higher ...

A significant study has mapped the genetic complexity of Populus cathayana, an ecologically and economically valuable poplar species. By creating a detailed genome assembly and analyzing genetic ...

Supraordinal relationships of primates and their time of origin -- A molecular classification for the living orders of placental mammals and the phylogenetic placement of primates / MS Springer, WJ ...

Insects thrive in incredibly diverse and challenging environments. While we now know that nutrient-sensing pathways, immune-metabolic interactions, and ...

Enzymes originally evolved in high-temperature environments and later adapted to lower temperatures as Earth cooled. Scientists discovered that a key shift in enzyme function occurred over ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Fossil discoveries unlock chapters of our planet’s storied ...