Evolution news, features and articles
Latest about Evolution

Raindrops may have helped kick-start life on the planet
By Aman Agrawal published
The earliest cells likely didn’t have membranes to separate and protect their components and chemistry away from a harsh surrounding environment. But they may have made do with rain.

Which animals are evolving fastest?
By Marlowe Starling published
The "fastest evolving vertebrate" title is hotly contested, but here are a few contenders.

'I have never written of a stranger organ': The rise of the placenta and how it helped make us human
By Jules Howard published
"Human evolution has occurred both due to, and in spite of, the placenta. Every pregnancy, unthinkingly, must navigate a careful path through it. Every menstruation is testament to it. It is partly why menopause exists, to give individuals an escape from the energetic costs associated with its imposition."

Ancient relative of 'living fossil' fish reveals that geological activity supercharges evolution
By Stephanie Pappas published
The ancient coelacanth, which has existed for some 419 million years, never stopped evolving despite its reputation as a "living fossil." A new discovery reveals that it evolved faster when plate tectonics were most active.

How fast does evolution happen?
By Marlowe Starling published
Measuring the pace of evolution is tricky, but some species can evolve as quickly as a few generations.

Defense system common to all life came from 'Asgard'
By Tia Ghose published
Defense systems found in all complex life, including the human body, came from primeval microbes known as 'Asgards.'

What is the 'tree of life'?
By Emma Bryce published
The tree of life maps out the relationships between all living things, and it's in constant flux.

Continental collision 2.1 billion years ago may have sparked '1st attempt' at complex life on Earth
By Patrick Pester published
Researchers have laid out the case for complex life evolving 2.1 billion years ago, but not everyone is convinced it started so early.

Last Chance Lake: The unusual 'soda lake' with conditions that may have given rise to life on Earth
By Sascha Pare published
Scientists consider Last Chance Lake to be an analog for lakes that may have existed on Earth 4 billion years ago and contained the ingredients for early life on our planet.
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