Evolution

A variety of large fruits and seeds preserved in volcanic ash nearly 75 million years ago indicate that flowering plants were diverse and abundant during the dinosaur era.

24. juni 2026 Rapporteret af AI

A distinct population of leopards in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region has developed much smaller bodies than other African leopards, researchers report. Genetic analysis shows the animals have been isolated for roughly 20,000 years and adapted to local conditions.

Scientists have identified a new species of ancient crocodile relative that walked upright on two legs with a toothless beak. The creature, named Labrujasuchus expectatus, lived during the Late Triassic in what is now New Mexico.

29. maj 2026 Rapporteret af AI

A new study from the University of Michigan suggests that beneficial mutations are more common than previously thought but often fail to spread because environments change too quickly. The research proposes a revised view of molecular evolution.

Paleontologists have found the best-preserved stegosaur skull ever discovered in Europe at a site in Riodeva, Spain. The fossil belongs to Dacentrurus armatus and dates to the Late Jurassic period around 150 million years ago.

13. maj 2026 Rapporteret af AI

New research reveals that cacti are among the fastest-evolving plant groups on Earth, driven by rapid changes in flower shape rather than size or pollinators. The findings from the University of Reading challenge long-held ideas about speciation dating back to Darwin. Scientists analyzed data from more than 750 species to reach their conclusions.