If we look across the whole of the mammal branch of the tree of life, we find there are many groups of mammals that have evolved testicles of all different sizes. In almost all these separate cases, ...

Why did humans evolve the eyes we have today? While scientists can't go back in time to study the environmental pressures that shaped the evolution of the diverse vision systems that exist in nature, ...

A major evolutionary theory says most genetic changes don’t really matter, but new evidence suggests that’s not true. Researchers found that helpful mutations happen surprisingly often. The twist is ...

A mystery that started with the discovery of a pinkie finger bone in Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia may finally have been cracked.

Modern Formula 1 is defined as much by invisible air as by roaring engines. Over half a century, teams have turned ...

In The Descent of Man, published in 1871, Charles Darwin hypothesized that our ancestors came from Africa. He pointed out that among all animals, the African apes — gorillas and chimpanzees — were the ...

A portrait of Charles Darwin taken in 1868 by noted photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species was published in 1859. His theory of evolution by natural selection was ...

Tiffany Taylor, professor of microbial ecology and evolution at the University of Bath in the U.K., recommends the books that shaped her career and her outlook on life. When you purchase through links ...

An excerpt from The Sacred Chain: How Understanding Evolution Leads to Deeper Faith. After my brief opening statement, the rest of our time was set aside for “discussion.” The two-hour meeting felt ...

The origins of consciousness date back about 540 million years ago, when animal bodies became more complex. Feelings like ...