Physics has long failed to explain life – but we're testing a groundbreaking new theory in the lab

Life seems to just mysteriously ‘emerge’ from non-living parts, such as elementary particles.

Lee Cronin, Regius Chair of Chemistry, University of Glasgow • conversation
Oct. 24, 2023 ~7 min

How animal traits have shaped the journey of species across the globe

New research looks at how different species have managed to cross geographic barriers throughout history and whether their individual traits played a crucial role in these journeys.

Sarah-Sophie Weil, PhD candidate, Swansea University • conversation
Oct. 17, 2023 ~7 min


Scientists can't agree on when the first animals evolved – our research hopes to end the debate

Charles Darwin knew the evidence from fossils contradicted evolution. Researchers are still trying to work out the problem today.

Ross Anderson, Research Fellow in Palaeobiology, University of Oxford • conversation
Oct. 13, 2023 ~6 min

How morbid curiosity can lead people to conspiracy theories

The answers lie in early human evolution.

Coltan Scrivner, Behavioral Scientist, Arizona State University • conversation
Oct. 11, 2023 ~7 min

Wild plants may edit their genomes in the same way we make GM crops – and it could be crucial to evolution

Recent study investigated how fast genes are being transferred between distantly related species.

Pauline Raimondeau, Postdoctoral Associate in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University • conversation
Oct. 9, 2023 ~7 min

Female animals teach each other to choose unusual males – new research

A new study modelled how a game of snog, marry, avoid, may play out in the animal kingdom.

Louise Gentle, Principal Lecturer in Wildlife Conservation, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Oct. 3, 2023 ~7 min

Tropical climates are the most biodiverse on Earth − but it's not only because of how warm and wet they are

A new study reveals how the geography of global climates influences the rich patterns of species diversity in an ever-changing world.

Dave Roberts, Professor Emeritus of Ecology, Montana State University • conversation
Sept. 28, 2023 ~8 min

The first dog-fox hybrid points to the growing risk to wild animals of domestic species

Scientists had thought a ‘dogxim’ was impossible until one was discovered in Brazil

Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Sept. 28, 2023 ~7 min


Kindness has persisted in a competitive world – cultural evolution can explain why

Ancient religious customs have accelerated the evolutionary process of humans becoming more cooperative.

Jonathan R Goodman, Researcher, Human Evolutionary Studies, University of Cambridge • conversation
Sept. 25, 2023 ~7 min

How ducks, geese and swans see the world – and why this puts them at risk in a changing environment

Our airspace has only started to become cluttered recently – many birds are struggling to navigate through it.

Jenny Cantlay, PhD Candidate in Avian Sensory Ecology, Royal Holloway University of London • conversation
Sept. 22, 2023 ~7 min

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