When did our predecessors, Homo sapiens, actually explore the grasslands of Saudi Arabia? According to a new find, they may have stumbled into this area a lot sooner than we originally thought. But let’s back up for a moment. It’s important to recognize that our species first appeared in Africa about 300,000 years ago (Dunham, …
When you look at a giant Great Dane or Mastiff, then you look at a Chihuahua or a Pomeranian, it is hard to believe they are all the same species of animal. It is even harder to believe that these lovable and loyal companions – man’s best friends –are all descendants of the maligned grey …
As we munch on fresh sweet corn during summer cookouts, it may be easy to imagine that the Native Americans also enjoyed the butter-dipped goodness that is corn-on-the-cob, or maize, as it was originally called. After all, corn is New World plant that was an important food source, commodity, and spiritual item for the people …
You might say “Eek!” when you think of a mouse potentially residing in your house, but what if you knew that these little creatures were actually domesticated by humans? They might not be your standard household pet, but mice have been groomed over time to live alongside us in our humble abodes. At least this …
What encouraged some water species to evolve into land-based creatures? This is what some scientists attempted to determine by analyzing the bodies of terrestrial vertebrates that existed about 385 million years ago. (MacIver, Schmitz, Mugan, Murphey, & Mobley, 2017) They found that their eyes – rather than their limbs – may have played a large …
The Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides Marcellus) and the Common Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) are both evolutionary misfits. A cursory glance at both may fail to yield a connection but a closer look shows a complex relationship between the butterfly and the fruit tree that gives us insight into the evolutionary path of both. Let us first examine …
Some people speculate that most dinosaurs had feathers, while others still believe it’s up for debate. We may not end the discussion anytime soon, but a new study has revealed additional details to help us draw more accurate conclusions. In a report published in Nature Communications, researchers shared what they found when they used high-powered …
Dinosaur discoveries always give us more to consider when we look back on the evolution of today’s animals. The recent unearthing of 19 skeletons in the Gobi Desert of China is no different. On Dec. 22, scientists published new findings in Current Biology, detailing 19 skeletons they found while searching in the Gobi Desert. The …
Could your fingers be linked to fish fins? Scientists’ new research may just lead us to the answer. A new study published by a team of researchers at the University of Chicago claim that there are significant evolutionary connections between our appendages and fish fins. Evolutionary biologist Neil H. Shubin has been seeking connections between …
Many people naturally assume that a large catastrophic event, like an asteroid collision, caused the demise of the dinosaurs. However, a new study published in Current Biology by a group of Canadian researchers indicates that their diets and a changing environment might have also contributed to their downfall. Specifically, the research points to the teeth of fossils. …