Evolutionary Biology

Researchers at the University of St Andrews have discovered a key genetic change that likely allowed animals with backbones to develop greater complexity. By examining sea squirts, lampreys, and frogs, they found that certain genes began producing far more protein variations during the transition to vertebrates. This finding, published in BMC Biology, sheds light on the origins of diverse tissues and organs in species from fish to humans.

January 23, 2026 由 AI 报道

A University of Cambridge study ranks humans among the most monogamous mammals, closer to beavers and meerkats than to chimpanzees. By analyzing sibling ratios across species and human societies, researchers found that long-term pair bonding is unusually prevalent in our species. Even in cultures allowing polygamy, human monogamy exceeds that of most other mammals.

Evolutionary anthropologists argue that human physiology, honed over hundreds of thousands of years for active, nature-rich hunter-gatherer lives, is poorly suited to the chronic pressures of industrialized environments. This mismatch, they say, is contributing to declining fertility and rising rates of inflammatory disease, and should prompt a rethink of how cities and societies are designed.

December 06, 2025 由 AI 报道

Researchers have discovered a new species of wolf snake on Great Nicobar Island in India, naming it Lycodon irwini in honor of the late conservationist Steve Irwin. The glossy black, non-venomous snake measures up to one meter and faces vulnerability due to its limited habitat. The finding highlights the underexplored biodiversity of the Andaman and Nicobar region.

Researchers have uncovered fossil evidence from Morocco showing that spionid worms, which parasitize today's oysters, were already boring into ancient bivalve shells 480 million years ago. High-resolution scans revealed distinctive question mark-shaped burrows, linking ancient and modern parasitic behavior. The discovery, published in iScience, highlights an unchanged lifestyle persisting through mass extinctions.

November 04, 2025 由 AI 报道

A 67-million-year-old fossil fish discovered in Alberta, Canada, has led UC Berkeley researchers to revise the evolutionary timeline of otophysan fish, revealing that their advanced hearing system developed in the ocean before two separate migrations to freshwater. This group, which includes over 10,000 species like catfish and zebrafish, evolved sensitive ears rivaling human hearing capabilities. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about their origins.