Jordana Cepelewicz

How many Neanderthals were there? Archaeology and genetics have given very different answers. A new study reconciles them and reveals the lost history of these ancient people — including an early brush with extinction.

Nigel Goldenfeld applies the physics of condensed matter to understand how evolution sprinted for the earliest life — and then slowed down.

“Organoid” brain tissue models grown in a lab for two years can help scientists study a critical period of development just before and after birth.

Hybrids, once treated as biological misfits, play a vital role in the evolution of many animal species. Now conservationists are trying to reconcile that truth with policies.

If DNA repair makes useful mutations more likely, it could accelerate cells’ adaptations to harsh environments.

Mathematical insights into how RNA helps viruses pull together their protein shells could guide future studies of viral behavior and function.

New techniques expose unexpected diversity within seemingly uniform tissues.