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Butterflies evolved 100 million years ago in North America

15 May 2023

Many researchers thought butterflies first evolved in Asia, but a global genetic analysis suggests they arose in North America, well before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct


A black-and-white photo of a man dressed in warm furs crouching down next to Balto, a dog that appears to be a dark-furred husky type dog. Behind them is a brick building.

Balto's genome reveals famed sledge dog was a mutt

27 April 2023

Balto had a varied ancestry, sharing genes with Siberian huskies, Greenland sledge dogs, Vietnamese village dogs and Tibetan mastiffs


A skate embryo

Skates evolved their undulating wings thanks to genome origami

12 April 2023

The front fins of skates emerge from their heads as huge wings and now we know how they can develop in this way


A large, black Newfoundland dog with drool dripping from its half open mouth

Mucus has evolved at least 15 times in mammals

26 August 2022

Mucus-producing mucin proteins have repeatedly and independently emerged in mammals, possibly through co-option of existing proteins into slime factories


Molecule of DNA, double helix, 3D illustration. Genetic mutation and genetic disorders

A single genetic mutation made humans more susceptible to cancer

3 May 2022

Since we split from chimpanzees, a single letter change in our DNA appears to have made us more likely to get cancer, possibly as a trade-off for extra fertility


Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1.0 cells

Artificially stripped-back cell is still able to rapidly evolve

17 August 2021

An artificial “minimal cell” that has had all but the most essential genes stripped out can evolve and adapt to its surroundings just as fast as a normal cell


Grasses pass genes from one species to another but we don’t know how

Grasses pass genes from one species to another but we don’t know how

22 April 2021

A study of 17 grass species found that 13 of them carry genes that have been transferred from another species, suggesting that gene-swapping happens all the time


guanacos

Llamas and alpacas carry genes from mysterious ‘ghost’ relatives

19 March 2021

Preserved DNA from animals that lived over 2400 years ago suggests that present-day llamas and alpacas are descended in part from an extinct population of camelids called guanacos


Evolution is evolving: 13 ways we must rethink the theory of nature

Evolution is evolving: 13 ways we must rethink the theory of nature

23 September 2020

Do species really exist? Are genes destiny? Do only the fittest survive? Can we shape or stop evolution? New insights into nature are providing surprising answers, and a glorious new picture of life’s complexity


giraffes

Natural selection

4 August 2020

Natural selection is the process by which some organisms in a population survive and reproduce, while others do not, based on their bodies and behaviour


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