Evolution

Ancestors of so-called soft corals may have developed bioluminescence in the earliest days of deep-ocean living

A newly discovered genetic mechanism helped eliminate the tails of human ancestors

Snakes saw a burst of adaptation about 128 million years ago that led to them exploding in diversity and evolving up to three times faster than lizards

New research into the “stasis paradox” challenges the rules of evolution

A newly identified “chicken from hell” species suggests dinosaurs weren’t sliding toward extinction before the fateful asteroid hit

Scientists built a robotic dinosaur to terrify grasshoppers, all in hopes of understanding how truly pathetic wings could offer prehistoric animals an evolutionary advantage

“The anus was a prerequisite for intelligence” said one biologist

Wandering albatrosses navigate thousands of miles using “the voice of the sea.”

Tracing the history of the earliest animals offers clues to whether the birth of the neuron was a one-time event

In 2023 we learned that cats really are choosing to ignore humans and that—despite dogs getting all the glory when it comes to retrieving prowess—cats want to play fetch, too

Some species of cave-dwelling spiders lack eyes but still maintain the ability to sense light, which likely protects them from the arid environments at the sunny mouths of caves

We’re looking back at 2023 for our favorite podcast shows and one about the largest bird to ever fly the skies just flew to the top of the list.