How did humans evolve such rotten genetics?

We may have complex brains but evolution hasn’t dealt us the best hand when it comes to genetics.

Laurence D. Hurst, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at The Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath • conversation
June 4, 2025 ~8 min

Why don’t humans have hair all over their bodies? A biologist explains our lack of fur

Human beings don’t have a thick coat of fur like many other mammals do. Scientists think it has to do with something else that comes out of skin: sweat.

Maria Chikina, Assistant Professor of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
April 21, 2025 ~6 min


62-million-year-old skeleton sheds light on mysterious mammal

A new study of an ancient skeleton has answered many questions about an enigmatic critter called Mixodectes pungens.

Mike Cummings-Yale • futurity
March 18, 2025 ~6 min

Grow fast, die young? Animals that invest in building high-quality biomaterials may slow aging and increase their lifespans

Understanding the differences in growth rate between animals can help clarify the mechanisms behind aging-related diseases and offer ways to treat them.

Chen Hou, Associate Professor of Biology, Missouri University of Science and Technology • conversation
Oct. 29, 2024 ~8 min

Moo Deng: the celebrated hippo’s real home has disappeared – will the world restore it?

Deforestation has cast Moo Deng’s wild relatives into a hostile landscape of cocoa farms and mines.

Sulemana Bawa, PhD Candidate in Conservation Biology, University of Oxford • conversation
Oct. 25, 2024 ~6 min

What fur development can tell us about our ancient ancestors

When did fur evolve? You may be surprised to learn there’s a chance it pre-dates the dinosaurs.

Ingmar Werneburg, Curator of the Palaeontological Collection, University of Tübingen • conversation
Sept. 3, 2024 ~8 min

Mammary glands in a dish − what miniature organs reveal about evolution, lactation, regeneration and breast cancer

Organoids of mammary glands can help researchers more efficiently study lactation, with findings that could apply to fields ranging from agriculture to medicine.

Gat Rauner, Research Assistant Professor of Developmental, Molecular and Chemical Biology, Tufts University • conversation
Aug. 13, 2024 ~9 min

What fathers in the animal kingdom can tell us about humans

Some of the most caring animal fathers are insects.

Judith Lock, Principal Teaching Fellow in Ecology and Evolution, University of Southampton • conversation
July 3, 2024 ~7 min


Maths makes finding bat roosts much easier, our research shows

A new algorithm could reduce the amount of time it takes for ecologists to find bat roosts.

Fiona Mathews, Professor of Environmental Biology, University of Sussex • conversation
June 25, 2024 ~5 min

It’s a myth that male animals are usually larger than females – new study

Does size matter? In the animal kingdom, yes.

Louise Gentle, Principal Lecturer in Wildlife Conservation, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
March 13, 2024 ~6 min

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