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Evolution

07/08/2018 / By Zoey Sky

Evolutionary biologist says that the rapid growth of cities has forced animals to evolve at “unprecedented speeds”

Since the dawn of time, various factors have forced animals to evolve so they can improve their chances of survival. But according to an evolutionary biologist, even humans and growing cities are somehow responsible for animal evolution. During an interview with Simon Worrall from National Geographic, Professor Menno Schilthuizen, an evolutionary biologist, posited that cities act as […]

06/04/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Scientists discover a soil bacteria that commits “ecological suicide”

A joint team of American and German researchers recently discovered self-destructive behavior by soil bacteria that should serve as a cautionary tale for us humans. A Cosmos Magazine article stated that excessively large populations of these microbes often commit “ecological suicide,” where they accidentally wipe themselves out by polluting their surroundings. In their study, the […]

05/24/2018 / By Edsel Cook

“Rip Van Winkle” plants can remain dormant for 20 years to survive through difficult times

The fictional character Rip Van Winkle slept for 20 years and missed the American Revolution. Now, researchers have identified more than a hundred different real-life plants that can go dormant for just as long in order to make it through unfavorable periods, a EurekAlert article stated. The research team counted at least 114 species that […]

04/30/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Genetic data shed light on how soil microbes survive nutrient-deficient environments

For the longest time, researchers have puzzled over the process that allows microbes to grow within the phosphorus-poor soil found in tropical rainforests. A recent study of their genetic data revealed that these microbes possess a higher amount of genes that specialize in getting the vital mineral, according to a NewsWise article. Tropical soils are […]

03/20/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Plants “adapt or die” too: Study finds botanical defense mechanisms evolve based on herbivores’ immunity to chemical toxins

“Adapt or die,” said the late Andy Grove, the founder of computer chip maker Intel who escaped Communist Hungary as a young man. A new study suggested plants adhere to the same dictum, adapting and discarding defenses according to what works best for the situation at hand, reported a ScienceDaily article. Researchers from the Academy […]

11/27/2017 / By Frances Bloomfield

Scientists look at how human activity has altered evolution in the natural world: The consequences of exploding populations of rats, bedbugs, mosquitoes in cities

Nature may no longer be the primary force impacting evolution. A duo of researchers from the University of Toronto and Fordham University have put out a revolutionary new study on the evolutionary influence of urbanization. The study, which was published in Science, serves as a grim reminder on how far-reaching man’s power truly is. For […]

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