Ancient DNA Shows Humans Settled Caribbean in 2 Distinct Waves
Millions of people living on the islands today inherited genes from the people who made them home before Europeans arrived.
From the NYTimes News-2020-12-23:14:6:1
Pythons Slithered Through Europe Before Coiling Around the World
The oldest known fossils of the predatory snakes were found at a German site, changing the snake family tree.
From the NYTimes News-2020-12-20:8:5:1
Ivory From Shipwreck Reveals Elephant Slaughter During Spice Trade
A trove from a Portuguese trading ship that sank in 1533 preserved genetic traces of whole lineages that have vanished from West Africa.
From the NYTimes News-2020-12-17:14:6:1
Saving Corpse Flowers From Being Inbred to Extinction
To preserve corpse flowers and other rare plants, botanic gardens are borrowing studbooks, an approach used by zoos and horse breeders.
From the NYTimes News-2020-12-11:14:6:1
Alzheimer's Researchers Study a Rare Brain
A woman in Colombia with a rare genetic mutation recently made the ultimate donation to science.
From the NYTimes News-2020-12-11:8:5:1
Extinction: Conservation success set against 31 lost species
European bison take a step back from the brink, but there is bad news for other animals and plants.
From the BBC News-2020-12-10:8:5:1
This Unusual Bird Superpower Goes Back to the Dinosaur Extinction
Kiwis, ibises and sandpipers share this sensory power with birds that lived millions of years ago.
From the NYTimes News-2020-12-4:8:5:1
Charles Darwin: Notebooks worth millions lost for 20 years
Cambridge University Library launches an appeal to find the scientist's missing notes and sketches.
From the BBC News-2020-11-24:8:5:1
These Researchers Tested Positive. But the Virus Wasn't the Cause.
Several scientists working with harmless genetic material have discovered that their research may have contaminated their coronavirus tests.
From the NYTimes News-2020-11-12:8:5:1
How One Firm Drove Influence Campaigns Nationwide for Big Oil
FTI, a global consulting firm, helped design, staff and run organizations and websites funded by energy companies that can appear to represent grass-roots support for fossil-fuel initiatives.
From the NYTimes News-2020-11-11:20:6:1
Birds' genetic secrets revealed in global DNA study
Scientists have sequenced the "code of life" of species from almost every branch of the bird family tree.
From the BBC News-2020-11-11:14:6:1
How Some Skinks Lost Their Legs and Then Evolved New Ones
The lizards have complicated a rule of thumb that in evolution, once you lose a body part, you don't regain it.
From the NYTimes News-2020-11-10:20:6:2
Newly discovered primate 'already facing extinction'
Historical museum specimens have helped to solve a long standing scientific monkey puzzle.
From the BBC News-2020-11-10:20:6:1
Student finds mystery pterosaur in Cambridgeshire fossils
Roy Smith made his "exciting" discovery while trawling through wrongly-identified shark fossils.
From the BBC News-2020-11-10:14:6:1
Two-million-year-old skull of human 'cousin' unearthed
The fossil from a large-toothed species helps shed more light on how humans evolved, researchers say.
From the BBC News-2020-11-10:8:5:1
Skull Fossil Shows How Human Cousin Adapted to Changing Climate
A skull found in a South African cave suggests that the species went through a process of microevolution during a chaotic environmental shift.
From the NYTimes News-2020-11-9:20:6:1
Back from the dead: Race to save Romania's 65 million-year-old fish
The nocturnal, prehistoric Asprete has teetered on the brink of extinction for decades.
From the BBC News-2020-11-9:8:5:2
Saving India's tigers from extinction
How the Indian government launched 'Project Tiger' to save the animals from extinction
From the BBC News-2020-11-9:8:5:3
'Mutant coronavirus' seen before on mink farms, say scientists
The coronavirus mutation found in farmed mink in Denmark has arisen in the past, genetic data shows.
From the BBC News-2020-11-9:8:5:1
Tests Show Genetic Signature of Coronavirus That Likely Infected Trump
The White House did not take basic steps to investigate its outbreak. We worked with geneticists to sequence the virus that infected two journalists exposed during the outbreak, providing clues to how it may have spread.
From the NYTimes News-2020-11-1:20:6:1
Dogs are humans' oldest companions, DNA shows
A study of dog DNA patterns shows that our "best friend" among animals is also our oldest one.
From the BBC News-2020-10-29:20:6:1
Ancient Dog DNA Shows Early Spread Around the Globe
Research on fossil canine genomes is expanding and producing some surprises about the lives of dogs and humans in prehistoric times.
From the NYTimes News-2020-10-29:20:6:2
Unlocking the secrets of 'six-headed chief' burial
Archaeologists have used DNA analysis to help explain who was buried in the ancient Highlands grave.
From the BBC News-2020-10-17:8:5:1
How Many Plants Have We Wiped Out? Here Are 5 Extinction Stories
Botanists have laid out evidence that dozens of North American trees, herbs, plants and shrubs have gone extinct since European settlers arrived.
From the NYTimes News-2020-10-16:14:6:1
Boy, 12, discovers rare dinosaur skeleton
He was hiking with his father in Alberta, Canada, when he stumbled upon the Hadrosaur remains.
From the BBC News-2020-10-15:20:6:1
Conservation: Bridge of hope for world's rarest primate
An artificial rope bridge across a divided forest could help save the ape, a type of gibbon, from extinction.
From the BBC News-2020-10-15:14:6:1
The Dire Wolf Might Have Prowled Asia, Fossil Suggests
The carnivores likely crossed the Bering Land Bridge into Asia.
From the NYTimes News-2020-10-15:14:6:2
Why Scientists Made Venus Flytraps That Glow
By splicing a special gene into the carnivorous plants, scientists visualized the chemistry that helps them snap shut on prey.
From the NYTimes News-2020-10-12:20:6:1
Toothless dinosaur with just two fingers discovered
Several complete skeletons of the unusual two-fingered dinosaurs were unearthed in the Gobi Desert.
From the BBC News-2020-10-10:8:5:1
'Real and imminent' extinction risk to whales
A letter signed by hundreds of scientists calls for global action to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises.
From the BBC News-2020-10-9:20:6:1
People With This Mutation Can't Smell Stinky Fish
A very small percentage of people don't mind the pungent odor of fish, a genetic study found.
From the NYTimes News-2020-10-8:14:6:1
T. rex dinosaur 'Stan' sold for world record price
The near-complete, 67-million-year-old fossil fetches $31.8m ($24.6m) at Christie's in New York.
From the BBC News-2020-10-7:8:5:2
Nobel Prize in Chemistry Awarded to 2 Scientists for Work on Genome Editing
Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna developed the Crispr tool, which can alter the DNA of animals, plants and microorganisms with high precision.
From the NYTimes News-2020-10-7:8:5:3
Scientists win historic Nobel chemistry prize for 'genetic scissors'
Two women have shared the prize for the first time, winning for their work on genome editing.
From the BBC News-2020-10-7:8:5:1
Biodiversity: Why the nature crisis matters, in five graphics
Human destruction of nature has led to the extinction of many plants and animals.
From the BBC News-2020-9-30:14:6:2
Extinction crisis: World leaders say it is time to act
As world leaders line up to address the UN biodiversity summit, experts say our future is at stake.
From the BBC News-2020-9-30:14:6:1
First Fossil Feather Ever Found Belonged to This Dinosaur
To settle a lengthy debate, a team of paleontologists says the specimen unearthed in the 19th century was shed by an archaeopteryx.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-30:8:5:1
Two-fifths of plants at risk of extinction, says report
We are failing to harness the many benefits plants can provide, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2020-9-29:20:6:1
Sir David Attenborough warns world leaders over extinction crisis
The naturalist uses a UN event to call on world leaders to do more to protect nature.
From the BBC News-2020-9-28:14:6:1
Nothing Eats Viruses, Right? Meet Some Hungry Protists
New genetic evidence builds the case that single-celled marine microbes might chow down on viruses.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-24:8:5:2
Spinosaurus dinosaur was 'enormous river-monster', researchers say
The findings come after the discovery of 1,200 dinosaur teeth in an ancient river bed in Morocco.
From the BBC News-2020-9-24:8:5:1
Wild maple trees 'in serious need of conservation'
One in five species of maple are threatened in their natural habitats, an extinction study says.
From the BBC News-2020-9-21:20:6:1
Exhume President Warren G. Harding? Family Feuds in Court
DNA evidence is persuasive that James Blaesing, 70, is the grandson of the 29th president and his mistress. But his cousins are upset by his plan to exhume Harding's remains with a reality TV crew.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-18:14:6:1
The Vikings Were More Complicated Than You Might Think
One of the biggest surveys ever of ancient DNA offers new evidence of who the Vikings were and where they went raiding and trading.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-16:20:6:1
Extinction: Urgent change needed to save species, says UN
Humanity is at a crossroads and action is needed to slow nature's accelerating decline, says the UN.
From the BBC News-2020-9-15:14:6:1
Gene editing to produce 'super dad' livestock
Modified animals could improve sustainable meat production, but safety and ethical issues remain.
From the BBC News-2020-9-14:20:6:1
Extinction Is Not Inevitable. These Species Were Saved.
Conservation efforts have saved up to 48 mammal and bird species since 1993, but scientists say much more is needed to stem biodiversity loss.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-12:8:5:1
Cancer Projects to Diversify Genetic Research Receive New Grants
Because much cancer research and clinical trials have been based on white populations, efforts to explore the ways race and ethnicity influence disease are underway.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-11:20:6:2
Sir David Attenborough makes stark warning about species extinction
The naturalist looks at the fragile state of the natural world and how human activity drives extinction.
From the BBC News-2020-9-11:20:6:1
Extinction Rebellion: Nuclear power 'only option' says former spokeswoman
Zion Lights says a car-crash TV interview led her to rethink her support for Extinction Rebellion.
From the BBC News-2020-9-10:14:6:1
A Turtle With a Permanent Smile Was Brought Back From Extinction
Scientists have rebuilt the population of Burmese roofed turtles to nearly 1,000 individuals and counting.
From the NYTimes News-2020-9-3:8:5:2
Scientists have the answer to a tadpole mystery
The advance could help protect amphibians from extinction by protecting their breeding grounds.
From the BBC News-2020-9-3:8:5:1
Arrests as Extinction Rebellion protests begin across England
Protesters block a road near Parliament and are planning a "walk of shame" near the Bank of England.
From the BBC News-2020-9-2:8:5:1
Singing Dogs Re-emerge From Extinction for Another Tune
The animal was believed to have disappeared from the highlands of New Guinea, but was found on the island's Indonesian side.
From the NYTimes News-2020-8-31:20:6:1
Fossil Reveals 'One of the Cutest Dinosaurs' Ever Found
While many fossils have been flattened by time and the elements, a titanosaur found in an egg was preserved in three dimensions.
From the NYTimes News-2020-8-27:14:6:1
A Woman May Have Been Cured of H.I.V. Without Medical Treatment
In dozens of other patients who suppress the virus without drugs, it seems to have been cornered in parts of the genome where it cannot reproduce, scientists reported.
From the NYTimes News-2020-8-26:14:6:1
Penarth 'dinosaur footprints' investigated by museum
The prospect of a "really, really exciting" find will be checked by the Natural History Museum, experts say.
From the BBC News-2020-8-26:8:5:2
Eigg beach runner stumbles on dinosaur bone
The chance find was made on the Isle of Eigg where scientists have been searching for the fossils for 200 years.
From the BBC News-2020-8-26:8:5:1
Florida mosquitoes: 750 million genetically modified insects to be released
The aim is to reduce insect-borne diseases but environmental groups warn of unforeseen consequences.
From the BBC News-2020-8-20:20:6:1
'Mummified' plants give glimpse of Earth's future
Fossilised leaves suggest some plants may adapt to grow more quickly as CO2 levels rise.
From the BBC News-2020-8-20:14:6:1
New dinosaur related to T. rex discovered on Isle of Wight
Four bones found at Shanklin belonged to a new species of theropod dinosaur, a study finds.
From the BBC News-2020-8-12:8:5:1
Extinction: Quarter of UK mammals 'under threat'
Review of UK mammals finds that a quarter of native species are at "imminent threat of extinction".
From the BBC News-2020-7-30:8:5:1
Kelp found off Scotland dates back 16,000 years to last ice age
Experts from Heriot-Watt University's Orkney campus analysed the genetic composition of oarweed from 14 areas.
From the BBC News-2020-7-27:20:6:1
Genetic impact of colonial-era slave trade revealed in DNA study
The consequences of rape, maltreatment, disease and racism are revealed by the findings.
From the BBC News-2020-7-24:14:6:1
Viking Age Smallpox Complicates Story of Viral Evolution
An extinct version of the smallpox virus dating to 1,400 years ago prompts speculation about viruses becoming more lethal over time.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-23:20:6:1
DNA Study from 23andMe Traces Violent History of American Slavery
Scientists from the consumer genetics company 23andMe have published the largest DNA study to date of people with African ancestry in the Americas.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-23:14:6:1
Coronavirus: Cracking the secrets of how bats survive viruses
Bats' codes of life contain genetic clues to their "exceptional immunity", which protects them from viruses.
From the BBC News-2020-7-22:14:6:1
Once Science Fiction, Gene Editing Is Now a Looming Reality
The prospect of erasing some disabilities and perceived deficiencies hovers at the margins of what people consider ethically acceptable.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-22:8:5:1
Global Warming Is Driving Polar Bears Toward Extinction, Researchers Say
By century's end, polar bears worldwide could become nearly extinct as a result of shrinking sea ice in the Arctic if climate change continues unabated, scientists said.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-20:14:6:1
Flossie Wong-Staal, Who Unlocked Mystery of H.I.V., Dies at 73
A molecular biologist, she helped establish the virus as the cause of AIDS, then cloned it and took it apart to understand how it evades the immune system.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-17:20:6:1
Goodall: 'Great hope' chimpanzees can avoid extinction
Wild chimpanzees are under threat from deforestation and the bushmeat trade.
From the BBC News-2020-7-15:8:5:1
Scientists Find an Earthquake's Toll in an Organism's DNA
Along a coastline in New Zealand, kelp seems to contain a genetic record of the planet's geological upheaval.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-14:8:5:1
Extinction: One third of all lemurs 'on the brink'
A third of all the lemur species on Earth are "one step from extinction".
From the BBC News-2020-7-9:14:6:1
Some Polynesians Carry Native American DNA, Study Finds
A new genetic study suggests that Polynesians made an epic voyage to South America 800 years ago.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-8:14:6:1
Spirit Bears' Hair Helps Reveal New Genetic Secrets
First Nations peoples along British Columbia's Central Coast led research to help preserve the area's white-furred Spirit bears.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-6:14:6:1
DNA Linked to Covid-19 Was Inherited From Neanderthals, Study Finds
The stretch of six genes seems to increase the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus.
From the NYTimes News-2020-7-4:20:6:1
A 'Cure for Heart Disease'? A Single Shot Succeeds in Monkeys
A novel gene-editing experiment seems to have permanently reduced LDL and triglyceride levels in monkeys.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-27:20:6:1
A DNA Mix-Up Involving a Washing Machine Kept a Man in Jail for 3 Years
The Louisiana case highlights how prosecutors and crime labs withhold key documents from defense lawyers, keeping some defendants in custody for months or years.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-26:8:5:1
Dog Breeding in the Neolithic Age
Fossils and modern DNA show the ancient roots of Arctic sled dogs.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-25:14:6:2
Fossil Shows Wombat Relative That Weighed More Than 300 Pounds
Compared in size with modern black bears, the extinct species offers a new window into the large vombatiforms that once lived in Australia.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-25:14:6:1
Lynika Strozier, Who Researched Early Plant DNA, Dies at 35
She overcame a severe learning disability to become a scientist with "golden hands" and most recently a college instructor. She died of Covid-19.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-19:20:6:1
Wildlife Trade Spreads Coronaviruses as Animals Get to Market
DNA tests show an increase in the number of animals with positive tests for some coronaviruses from the time they are trapped until they arrive on someone's dinner plate.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-19:14:6:1
Mystery egg likely belonged to giant sea reptile, scientists say
The football-like fossil has puzzled scientists since it was found in Antarctica almost a decade ago.
From the BBC News-2020-6-17:20:6:1
Tracks Hint at a Crocodile Ancestor That Walked on 2 Legs
Over 100 million years ago in what is now South Korea, evolution experimented with nine-foot-long bipedal reptiles.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-17:20:6:2
DNA study reveals Ireland's age of 'god-kings'
A genetic survey of ancient remains from Ireland reveals the existence of a Stone Age social elite.
From the BBC News-2020-6-17:14:6:1
DNA of 'Irish Pharaoh' Sheds Light on Ancient Tomb Builders
In one of Europe's most impressive Stone Age burial mounds, researchers found evidence of brother-sister incest that suggests the existence of a ruling elite.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-17:14:6:2
China Is Collecting DNA From Tens of Millions of Men and Boys, Using U.S. Gear
Even children are pressed into giving blood samples to build a sweeping genetic database that will add to Beijing's growing surveillance capabilities, raising questions about abuse and privacy.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-17:8:5:1
Guaranteed Ingredient in Any Coronavirus Vaccine? Thousands of Volunteers
Two sisters in Missouri were among the first to have an unproven coronavirus vaccine injected in their bodies. If it makes it to market, it would also be the first DNA vaccine for any disease.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-13:14:6:1
Mutation Allows Coronavirus to Infect More Cells, Study Finds. Scientists Urge Caution.
Geneticists said more evidence is needed to determine if a common genetic variation of the virus spreads more easily between people.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-12:14:6:1
New global extinction target proposed
With species fast disappearing, the world needs a single target for fighting extinction, say experts.
From the BBC News-2020-6-12:8:5:1
Fossil tracks left by an ancient crocodile that 'ran like an ostrich'
Scientists are stunned to find that some ancient crocodiles may have moved around on two feet.
From the BBC News-2020-6-11:14:6:1
Culprit for Mass Extinction 445 Million Years Ago? Global Warming
A planet heated by giant volcanic eruptions drove the earliest known wipeout of life on Earth.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-10:14:6:1
Scientists Link Covid-19 Risk to Genetic Variations
The Trump administration chose five companies as the most likely to produce a vaccine. The tally of new cases is rising in the U.S., partly because of expanded testing. Italy ends travel restrictions.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-4:8:5:1
Genes May Leave Some People More Vulnerable to Severe Covid-19
Geneticists have turned up intriguing links between DNA and the disease. Patients with Type A blood, for example, seem to be at greater risk.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-3:20:6:1
Extinction crisis 'poses existential threat to civilisation'
A study presents more evidence that the world is in the midst of a sixth mass extinction.
From the BBC News-2020-6-2:8:5:1
E.P.A. Limits States' Power to Oppose Pipelines and Other Energy Projects
The agency tweaked the rules on how to apply the Clean Water Act, which New York and other states have used to fight fossil-fuel ventures.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-1:20:6:1
U.S. and Chinese Scientists Trace Evolution of Coronaviruses
Researchers whose canceled U.S. grant caused an outcry from other scientists urge preventive monitoring of viruses in southwestern China.
From the NYTimes News-2020-6-1:14:6:1
Isle of Wight pterosaur species fossil hailed as UK first
The University of Portsmouth identified it as a tapejarid, a flying pterosaur from the Cretaceous period.
From the BBC News-2020-5-28:14:6:1
How SpaceX's stylish spacesuit differs from other attire flown by astronauts.
From the BBC News-2020-5-27:14:6:1
'Billions of years of evolutionary history' under threat
'Weird and wonderful' animals unlike anything else on Earth are sliding toward extinction, say scientists.
From the BBC News-2020-5-26:8:5:1
Life-sized Crystal Palace Park dinosaur sculpture damaged
The Grade I-listed Megalosaurus statue has been in Crystal Palace Park since the Victorian era.
From the BBC News-2020-5-25:8:5:1
Elephants Really Can't Hold Their Liquor
Humans and other species have a gene mutation that lets them digest alcohol. In other species, it's missing.
From the NYTimes News-2020-5-20:8:5:2
Megaraptor: Fossils of 10m-long dinosaur found in Argentina
Palaeontologists say the remains date back 70 million years, close to the end of the dinosaurs.
From the BBC News-2020-5-20:8:5:1
Elaphrosaur: Rare dinosaur identified in Australia
The elaphrosaur roamed Australia 110 million years ago and was related to the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
From the BBC News-2020-5-19:8:5:1
Longer overlap for modern humans and Neanderthals
Modern humans began to edge out the Neanderthals in Europe earlier than previously thought.
From the BBC News-2020-5-11:14:6:1
HMS Beagle: Dock for Darwin's ship gets protected status
The submerged mud berth on the River Roach in Essex is recognised as a nationally important site.
From the BBC News-2020-5-11:8:5:1
Did a Mutation Turbocharge the Coronavirus? Not Likely, Scientists Say
A preliminary report posted online claimed that a mutation had made the virus more transmissible. Geneticists say the evidence isn't there.
From the NYTimes News-2020-5-6:20:6:1
With Crispr, a Possible Quick Test for the Coronavirus
A pioneer of the gene-editing technology has devised a diagnostic test for the infection that could be as simple as a pregnancy test.
From the NYTimes News-2020-5-5:14:6:1
A Coronavirus Vaccine Project Takes a Page From Gene Therapy
The technique aims to make a person's cells churn out proteins that will stimulate the body to fight the coronavirus.
From the NYTimes News-2020-5-5:8:5:1
Labs Across U.S. Join Federal Initiative to Study Coronavirus Genome
The project, announced by the C.D.C., will help trace patterns of transmission, investigate outbreaks and map how the virus is evolving, which can affect a cure.
From the NYTimes News-2020-5-1:8:5:1
Can Genetic Engineering Bring Back the American Chestnut?
The tree helped build industrial America before disease wiped out an estimated three billion or more of them. To revive their lost glory, we may need to embrace tinkering with nature.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-30:14:6:1
'Crazy beast' lived among last of dinosaurs
The discovery that the badger-like animal lived alongside dinosaurs challenges ideas about mammals.
From the BBC News-2020-4-29:14:6:1
Airborne Coronavirus Detected in Wuhan Hospitals
While the RNA of the virus was found in tiny droplets in China, scientists don't know if it was capable of transmitting the virus.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-28:20:6:1
Birds That Eat Fire, Pet Food and Sugar Packets to Live Another Day
A willingness to experiment with new foods and ways of foraging may make some birds less vulnerable to extinction.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-28:14:6:1
Hurricanes Are Reshaping Evolution Across the Caribbean
A new study of lizards in countries struck by hurricanes suggests cataclysmic weather can reshape entire species.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-27:20:6:1
First Frog Fossil Found on Antarctica
The specimen is some 40 million years old, and is probably related to species currently living in South America.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-23:14:6:1
New York and Boston Pigeons Don't Mix
The East Coast is made up of two pigeon genetic megacities, and a patch of Connecticut seems to be what's keeping them apart.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-23:8:5:1
Throwing Stick Hints at Ancient Ancestors' Hunting Techniques
Archaeologists in Germany found a throwing stick that might have been used by a species that preceded Neanderthals.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-22:14:6:1
UK Biobank: DNA to unlock coronavirus secrets
A vast store of DNA is being used to study why the severity of symptoms for coronavirus is so varied.
From the BBC News-2020-4-14:14:6:1
The audacious plan that could save a species
With only two northern white rhinos left in the world - both female - extinction seems a certainty.
From the BBC News-2020-4-13:20:6:1
Most New York Coronavirus Cases Came From Europe, Genomes Show
Travelers seeded multiple cases starting as early as mid-February, genomes show.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-9:8:5:1
Skull Fossils in Cave Show Mix of Human Relatives Roamed South Africa
The excavation found the oldest known Homo erectus, a direct ancestor of our species, living around the same time as other extinct hominins.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-2:20:6:1
Scientists Find 2 Mating Flies Trapped in Prehistoric Amber
The discovery was part of a haul of unusual fossils recovered from sites across Australia and New Zealand.
From the NYTimes News-2020-4-2:14:6:1
Heirloom plants: Saving the nation's seeds from extinction
The incredible history of the UK's heirloom plants and why they're set to make a comeback.
From the BBC News-2020-3-28:8:5:1
Green sea turtles: Vulnerable animal's hatching season draws to close
The green sea turtle is vulnerable to extinction as the climate warms, Australian scientists say.
From the BBC News-2020-3-27:8:5:1
Neanderthals ate sharks and dolphins
Neanderthals were eating fish, mussels and seals at a site in present-day Portugal, according to a new study.
From the BBC News-2020-3-26:20:6:1
Fossils Show Raptors Prowled North America Late in Dinosaurs' Era
They were smaller than the creatures that savaged "Jurassic Park," but may have had superior ability to stalk and take down prey.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-26:14:6:1
Neanderthals Ate Fish, Seabirds, Perhaps Even Dolphins
Scientists say that a discovery in a seaside Portuguese cave further challenges popular images of Neanderthals as meat-eating brutes.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-26:14:6:2
Mammal study explains 'why females live longer'
Across wild mammal species, females live over 18% longer than males because of genetics and environment.
From the BBC News-2020-3-24:8:5:2
Fossil worm shows us our evolutionary beginnings
A tiny, 555-million-year-old seafloor creature reveals why our bodies are organised the way they are.
From the BBC News-2020-3-24:8:5:1
What to Name the Oldest Modern Bird Fossil? Wonderchicken
Its skull was found in a chunk of rock that went overlooked for nearly two decades.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-18:20:6:1
Fossil 'wonderchicken' could be earliest known fowl
A newly discovered fossil bird could be the oldest-known ancestor of every chicken on the planet.
From the BBC News-2020-3-18:14:6:1
Some Paleontologists Seek Halt to Myanmar Amber Fossil Research
The substance has driven remarkable discoveries about the prehistoric world, but concerns about its sourcing are growing.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-11:20:6:1
Smallest Known Dinosaur's Fossil Found in Amber
Researchers say it is tinier than the smallest living bird, the bee hummingbird, and raises questions about bird evolution.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-11:14:6:2
Smallest dinosaur found 'trapped in amber'
Scientists say a fossil from Myanmar represents the tiniest dinosaur ever found.
From the BBC News-2020-3-11:14:6:1
Can Finland's Saimaa seals survive climate change?
This breed of seal is facing extinction but conservationists in Finland are trying to save it.
From the BBC News-2020-3-10:20:6:1
For the first time, Nancy Wexler reveals that she has inherited the disease she has spent her life studying.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-10:8:5:1
The Networks That Ruled Earth's Ancient Seas
Fossils of rangeomorphs, which dominated the oceans more than a half-billion years ago, show the thin threads that connected them.
From the NYTimes News-2020-3-6:14:6:1
Global rescue plan for nature 'overlooks genetic diversity'
A new 10-year strategy to halt extinction must protect the gene pools of all life on earth, say experts.
From the BBC News-2020-3-5:20:6:1
Earth's Deepest River Conceals an Evolutionary Mystery
The lower Congo River's depths have made it a natural lab for convergent evolution, yielding fish with unexpected features.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-25:14:6:1
This Tiny Creature Seemed Extinct. DNA Technology Helped Prove It Wasn't.
The rediscovery of a fly species in Wales hints at environmental DNA sampling's potential to change endangered species protection.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-24:20:6:1
Extinction: Meet the new poster animals of conservation
Scientists say charismatic but lesser-known "flagship species" are key to raising money for conservation.
From the BBC News-2020-2-24:8:5:1
Philip Leder, Who Helped Decipher the Genetic Code, Dies at 85
Dr. Leder, who also discovered a genetic cause of cancer, said he got his best scientific ideas while listening to classical music.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-23:14:6:2
Reading the Past in Old, Urine-Caked Rat's Nests
Scientists worked out what lived in part of the Western United States tens of thousands of years ago by studying DNA found in pack rat middens.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-23:14:6:1
'Astonishing' blue whale numbers at South Georgia
The biggest animal on Earth is returning to waters where it was nearly driven to extinction.
From the BBC News-2020-2-20:8:5:1
George Coyne, 87, Vatican Astronomer and Galileo Defender, Dies
While seeking to reconcile science and religion, Father Coyne also vigorously supported Darwin and challenged believers in intelligent design.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-14:20:6:1
Car-sized turtle fossils unearthed
The turtle is believed to have lived in northern South America between 13 and seven million years ago.
From the BBC News-2020-2-13:14:6:1
This Rodent Was Giant. Its Brain Was Tiny.
Reconstruction of a fossil of an extinct South American relative of the capybara shows it didn't have much space in its skull for a brain.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-12:20:6:1
Ghost DNA Hints at Africa's Missing Ancient Humans
Genes in some living West Africans shed light on human genetic diversity, which has been difficult to find in the continent's fossil record.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-12:14:6:1
Tyrannosaurus species named 'Reaper of Death' found in Canada
The fossils of the predator, which stood around 8ft (2.4m) tall, were found by a farmer in Alberta.
From the BBC News-2020-2-11:20:6:1
An Alzheimer's Treatment Fails: 'We Don't Have Anything Now'
With high hopes, drugs to fight brain plaques were tested in people genetically destined to develop dementia. The drugs failed.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-10:20:6:1
Fireflies face extinction risk - and tourists are partly to blame
Tourists love the sight of fireflies glowing at night but it can kill the insects, scientists say.
From the BBC News-2020-2-7:8:5:1
New Origin Story for Gross Blobs That Wash Up on Beaches
DNA evidence shows that jetsam ambergris comes from sperm whales.
From the NYTimes News-2020-2-4:20:6:1
Neanderthal Genes Hint at Much Earlier Human Migration From Africa
Modern humans may have left the continent as long 200,000 years ago, a new analysis suggests.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-31:20:6:1
Fossilized Tooth Captures a Pterosaur's Failed Squid Meal
The unlikely fossil sheds new light on the flying reptile's dining habits.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-30:20:6:1
Jersey 'drowned landscape' could yield Ice Age insights
Archaeologists plan an ambitious survey of part of the seabed off Jersey where Neanderthals once lived.
From the BBC News-2020-1-30:8:5:1
Endangered cheetahs can return to Indian forests - court
The world's fastest land animal was hunted into extinction in the country more than 70 years ago.
From the BBC News-2020-1-28:14:6:1
Ancient DNA from West Africa Adds to Picture of Humans' Rise
From a burial site in Cameroon, archaeologists recovered human genetic material dating as far back as 8,000 years.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-22:20:6:1
Dinosaur extinction: 'Asteroid strike was real culprit'
A team of scientists discounts the idea that large-scale volcanism drove the demise of the dinosaurs.
From the BBC News-2020-1-17:8:5:1
Why Is Air Pollution So Harmful? DNA May Hold the Answer
It's not just a modern problem. Airborne toxins are so pernicious that they may have shaped human evolution.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-13:14:6:1
Tortoise with species-saving sex drive returns to Galápagos
The 100-year-old tortoise of legendary libido is credited with saving his species from extinction.
From the BBC News-2020-1-11:8:5:1
A Teenager's Breakthrough Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease
Doctors reset Helen Obando's DNA in an effort to cure her of a painful genetic blood disorder. She's the youngest person to receive the treatment.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-10:14:6:1
Fossil Reveals Earth's Oldest Known Animal Guts
The find in a Nevada desert revealed an intestine inside a creature that looks like a worm made of a stack of ice cream cones.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-10:8:5:1
Trove of New Bird Species Found on Remote Indonesian Islands
Researchers found 10 new species and subspecies of songbirds off the coast of Sulawesi, with distinct songs and genetics from known birds.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-9:14:6:1
The Gene Drive Dilemma: We Can Alter Entire Species, But Should We?
A new genetic engineering technology could help eliminate malaria and stave off extinctions - if humanity decides to unleash it.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-8:8:5:1
Pocahontas Heacham mulberry tree DNA test 'inconclusive'
Researchers are unable to establish whether the Native American planted a mulberry tree in Norfolk.
From the BBC News-2020-1-5:14:6:1
Beware Tyrannosaurus Rex Teenagers and Their Growth Spurts
Fossils that some scientists thought to be a separate species were likely adolescent Tyrannosaurus rexes, a new study says.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-3:20:6:1
Human Remains in Idaho Cave Belonged to Bootlegging Jail Escapee
The case of Joseph Henry Loveless, who sawed his way out of jail in 1916, is among the oldest solved using genetic genealogy.
From the NYTimes News-2020-1-3:8:5:1
Chinese Scientist Who Genetically Edited Babies Gets 3 Years in Prison
He Jiankui's work was also carried out on a third infant, according to China's state media, in a new disclosure that is likely to add to the global uproar over such experiments.
From the NYTimes News-2019-12-30:8:5:1
Extinction: A million species at risk, so what is saved?
With around one million species at risk, how do conservationists decide what species to save?
From the BBC News-2019-12-27:20:6:1