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Natural selection
Natural selection is the phrase Charles Darwin used in 1859 for the process he proposed to explain the origin of species and their apparent adaptation to their environment. Along with the rules of inheritance, discovered by Gregor Mendel at about the same time, natural selection provides the fundamental mechanistic foundations for modern evolutionary theory.
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Plants & Animals News
November 11, 2026
Nov. 9, 2026 After more than 35 years of research, scientists have uncovered surprising clues about what really drives Lyme disease risk. Contrary to longstanding assumptions, deer populations appear less important than mice, which can fuel a 40% increase in ...
Nov. 8, 2026 Scientists have discovered that the stickiness of underwater “marine snow” plays a surprisingly important role in how much carbon reaches the deep ocean. Gooier particles resist bacterial ...
Nov. 8, 2026 Researchers have discovered a stunning new species of tiny orange-patterned fish in the Brazilian Amazon, but its survival may already be at risk. Named Laimosemion laranja, the brilliantly colored killifish measures less than three centimeters long ...
Nov. 6, 2026 Scientists have solved a mystery surrounding destructive beetles attacking blueberry bushes in North Carolina, identifying a species whose massive larvae can grow up to five inches long and destroy plant roots. Although farmers have reported damage ...
Nov. 3, 2026 A nearly 50-year-old mystery involving disappearing frogs in Brazil may finally be solved, with scientists uncovering evidence that a deadly fungus swept through the region and devastated vulnerable species. Remarkably, many frog populations have ...
Nov. 1, 2026 Crown-of-thorns starfish are notorious for devouring coral reefs, but surprising new research reveals these spiny predators may actually help reefs thrive when their populations are kept in check. ...
Oct. 22, 2026 Scientists have captured virus-like particles assembling themselves step by step, revealing how a surprisingly simple process of trial and error produces complex structures with remarkable precision. The discovery uncovers a crucial molecular ...
Oct. 22, 2026 Honeybees are aggressively pushing wild pollinators away from flowers, with scientists documenting how they chase off rivals and dominate valuable food sources. New research warns that rising temperatures and increasing honeybee populations could ...
Oct. 19, 2026 Scientists have discovered that severely bleached corals can make a remarkable comeback simply by touching healthy, genetically identical corals. In laboratory experiments, dying corals regained their color and fully recovered within seven weeks, ...
Oct. 17, 2026 Scientists have discovered that some forest soils are becoming surprisingly better at removing methane from the atmosphere as temperatures rise and rainfall declines. A study spanning up to 24 years found methane absorption increasing by an average ...
Oct. 16, 2026 Stanford scientists have developed a revolutionary microscope that reveals the hidden inner workings of living cells in real time, without the fluorescent labels that can interfere with observations. The breakthrough could provide new insights into ...
Oct. 16, 2026 Scientists have discovered a remarkable “Pac-Man enzyme” that helps bacteria devour certain types of plastic and may offer new hope in the fight against plastic pollution. Researchers found that ...
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Nov. 11, 2026 Scientists have discovered that the intricate patterns of hair follicles on mammals may arise from a remarkably simple process involving cells following chemical signals. The findings challenge a ...
Nov. 10, 2026 A surprising new study reveals that mosquitoes have very different tastes in humans, with each species attracted to its own combination of skin odors, chemicals, and bacteria. The discovery ...
Nov. 10, 2026 Scientists have uncovered fossils of a giant rodent that lived in Thailand 34 million years ago, revealing that enormous rodents evolved much earlier than previously thought. Named Yakamys ...
Nov. 10, 2026 A bizarre, heavily armored amphibian roamed the oceans 237 million years ago, despite the fact that modern amphibians cannot survive entirely in saltwater. Discovered in China, the giant ...
Nov. 10, 2026 Scientists have discovered a remarkably preserved 450-million-year-old fossil containing soft tissues from an ancient starfish relative, revealing ...
Nov. 8, 2026 A remarkable fossil discovery in Colombia is challenging how scientists understand major evolutionary changes in Earth's history. Researchers ...
Nov. 8, 2026 Scientists investigating a 2,800-year-old Siberian tomb discovered roughly 1,000 cannabis seeds and chemical evidence suggesting ancient Scythians ...
Nov. 6, 2026 Scientists have discovered chemically confirmed traces of ancient blood inside 115-million-year-old dinosaur bones, challenging assumptions about how long biological molecules can survive. The ...
Nov. 4, 2026 Scientists propose that the brain’s mysterious cross-wiring, which connects each hemisphere to the opposite side of the body, may have originated ...
Nov. 1, 2026 A 17- to 18-million-year-old ape fossil discovered in Egypt is challenging long-held beliefs about where the ancestors of humans and other modern apes first evolved. Scientists now suspect that North ...