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evolution

Latest Articles

Micrograph of a macrophage phagocytosing bacteria.
evolution

Ancient Genes for Symbiosis Hint at Mitochondria’s Origins

By Veronique Greenwood
April 26, 2022
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Was the addition of mitochondria a first step in the formation of complex cells or one of the last? A new study of bacteria tries to answer this contentious question in evolutionary biology.

Video microscopy of a large C. elegans roundworm flanked by several much smaller ones.
evolution

In Sexy Worms, Inheritance Beyond Genes Can Help Evolution

By Carrie Arnold
April 19, 2022
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Traits from RNA molecules passed between multiple generations of worms can work with genetic changes to influence future evolution.

Simulated microscopy image of light shining through mitochondrial bundles and emerging as tight beams.
biophysics

Mitochondria Double as Tiny Lenses in the Eye

By Yasemin Saplakoglu
April 5, 2022
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The optical properties of mitochondrial bundles in the retina may improve how efficiently the eye captures light.

Image of Trichoplax adhaerens moving against a black background.
biomechanics

This Animal’s Behavior Is Mechanically Programmed

By Jordana Cepelewicz
March 16, 2022
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Biomechanical interactions, rather than neurons, control the movements of one of the simplest animals. The discovery offers a glimpse into how animal behavior worked before neurons evolved.

A collage of images related to cell fusion, viruses, fusexin proteins and cells.
sex

A Billion Years Before Sex, Ancient Cells Were Equipped for It

By Jake Buehler
February 16, 2022
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Molecular detective work is zeroing in on the origins of sexual reproduction. The protein tools for cell mergers seem to have long predated sex — so what were they doing?

An artist’s 3D illustration of chromosomes splitting and fusing together.
genomics

Secrets of Early Animal Evolution Revealed by Chromosome ‘Tectonics’

By Viviane Callier
February 2, 2022
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Large blocks of genes conserved through hundreds of millions of years of evolution hint at how the first animal chromosomes came to be.

Illustration of COVID-19 virus particles rolling across a 3D landscape.
COVID-19

Evolution ‘Landscapes’ Predict What’s Next for COVID Virus

By Carrie Arnold
January 11, 2022
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Studies that map the adaptive value of viral mutations hint at how the COVID-19 pandemic might progress next.

Photo of a flying fish gliding over the open water.
developmental biology

Flying Fish and Aquarium Pets Yield Secrets of Evolution

By Viviane Callier
January 5, 2022
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New studies reveal the ancient, shared genetic “grammar” underpinning the diverse evolution of fish fins and tetrapod limbs.

2021 in Review

The Year in Biology

By John Rennie
December 21, 2021
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The detailed understanding of brains and multicellular bodies reached new heights this year, while the genomes of the COVID-19 virus and various organisms yielded more surprises.


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