Plants might be able to tell us about the location of dead people, helping families find missing people

Researchers are figuring out how plants respond to the presence of human cadavers. The findings could prove important for discovering the locations of murder victims or mass graves.

Neal Stewart, Professor of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee • conversation
Sept. 3, 2020 • ~7 min

 evolution  innovation  agriculture  plants  microbes  adaptation  genetically-modified-organisms  forensics  genetically-modified-plants  decomposition

Humans aren't inherently selfish – we're actually hardwired to work together

The 'good' side of our nature is much more deep-rooted than the 'evil' side.

Steve Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Leeds Beckett University • conversation
Aug. 20, 2020 • ~7 min
evolution psychology primates racism evolutionary-psychology early-humans modern-humans selfishness

Mysterious evolution of wonky whale skulls revealed by new study

How we worked out when whales first evolved asymmetrical skulls.

Ellen Coombs, PhD Candidate in Biosciences, UCL • conversation
July 28, 2020 • ~6 min
evolution fossils whales cetaceans animal-evolution

At the evangelical Creation Museum, dinosaurs lived alongside humans and the world is 6,000 years old

A Kentucky museum tells the history of the universe according to the Bible in an effort to debunk evolution. Its owner, the Christian group Answers in Genesis, promotes right-wing political causes.

Susan L Trollinger, Professor of English, University of Dayton • conversation
July 27, 2020 • ~9 min
evolution bible religion-and-society creationism christianity biblical-flood evangelicals christian-right genesis biblical-narratives fundamentalist-christianity

Why some species thrive after catastrophe – rules for making the most of an apocalypse

When the dinosaurs went extinct, some species took over the world. Adaptability, not survivability, explains why.

Nick Longrich, Senior Lecturer in Evolutionary Biology and Paleontology, University of Bath • conversation
July 20, 2020 • ~9 min

 evolution  dinosaurs  extinction  palaeontology  mass-extinction  dinosaur-extinction  bird-evolution  ancient-mammals

Crop pathogens are more adaptable than previously thought

Fungi and other organisms called oomycetes are highly adaptable. That's bad news for the global food supply.

Antonis Rokas, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences, Professor of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Informatics, and Director of the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University • conversation
June 23, 2020 • ~5 min
evolution climate-change yeast plants fungi crops food-security plant-pathogen

Curious Kids: why do so many dangerous animals live in Australia?

Australia is home to 20 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world.

Louise Gentle, Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Conservation, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
June 8, 2020 • ~5 min
evolution animals australia curious-kids snakes

A new hybrid fungus is found in hospitals and linked to lung disease

Researchers have discovered the first known example of a hybrid fungus that infects humans.

Antonis Rokas, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Biological Sciences, Professor of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Informatics, and Director of the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Vanderbilt University • conversation
June 4, 2020 • ~10 min

 evolution  covid-19  pandemic  fungi  fungus  fungal-infection  mold

Evolution: why it seems to have a direction and what to expect next

Evolution seems to lead to increasing complexity of species. But perhaps a dominant, intelligent species like humans will always end up destroying itself.

Matthew Wills, Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology at the Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath • conversation
June 2, 2020 • ~8 min
evolution human-evolution alien-life sixth-mass-extinction

What's the point of grief?

A bereavement counsellor on grief, loss and longing.

John Frederick Wilson, Honorary Research Fellow, Director of Bereavement Services Counselling & Mental Health Clinic, York St John University • conversation
May 13, 2020 • ~6 min
evolution depression trauma grief evolutionary-biology grieving bereavement five-stages-of-grief

/

3