Evolutionary

Researchers have uncovered significant diversity in the TAS1R gene family, responsible for taste perception in vertebrates. This discovery, derived from a genome-wide survey, sheds light on the evolutionary history of taste receptors and has potential applications in developing specialized foods for various animal species.A genome-wide survey has uncovered substantial diversity in the evolution of taste receptors across vertebrates.Taste perception is a critical sense, playing a key role in distinguishing nourishing foods…

New research reveals that the vertebrate head mesoderm evolved from a distinct ancient mesoderm, challenging traditional views on the evolution of the vertebrate skull. Advanced microscopy techniques showed that the head mesoderm in lamprey embryos is fundamentally different from somites, indicating an early divergence in vertebrate evolution.Scientists are examining the development of lamprey embryos to shed light on the origin of the vertebrate head, which could enhance our understanding of ancestral vertebrates.The…

Reconstruction of Ceoptera evansae. Credit: © NHM & Witton 2021Scientists unveil a new pterosaur species from Scotland, offering insights into the diversity and global spread of early flying reptiles and challenging established views on their evolutionary timeline.A new species of pterosaur from specimens found on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, has been announced by scientists from the Natural History Museum, University of Bristol, University of Leicester, and University of Liverpool.Insights Into Pterosaur Diversity and…

As It Happens6:35How scientists tracked the 1,000 km journey of a woolly mammoth using its tuskWith nothing more than a tusk, researchers were able to track the 1,000 kilometre journey of a woolly mammoth that lived 14,000 years ago. "The fact that we can actually regenerate her movement, her place along a landscape … all comes from a few remains at this site gives us insight into behaviour of an animal that once existed and lived with ancestors of the first people here in Canada," Hendrik Poinar, an evolutionary…

A recent study provides new insights into the evolution of dexterous trunks in ancestral elephants. It highlights the co-evolution of elongated mandibles and trunks in response to environmental changes, leading to the unique feeding capabilities of modern elephants.A research analysis on the development of long-nosed gomphotheres, predecessors of today’s elephants, indicates that transitioning to open-area grazing contributed to the evolution of their winding and dexterous trunks.In a study published in the journal eLife,…

The average litre of bottled water has nearly a quarter million pieces of ever-so-tiny nanoplastics, detected and categorized for the first time by a microscope using dual lasers.Scientists long figured there were lots of these microscopic plastic pieces, but until researchers at Columbia and Rutgers universities did their calculations they never knew how many or what kind.Looking at five samples each of three common bottled water brands, researchers found particle levels ranged from 110,000 to 400,000 per litre,…

An international consortium has sequenced the hagfish genome, filling a significant gap in vertebrate evolutionary research. This work, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, enhances understanding of genome duplications in vertebrates and their impact on the evolution of major physiological structures. Credit: Universtiy of MalagaResearchers have sequenced the hagfish genome, providing vital insights into vertebrate evolution and genome duplication history.An international scientific team made up of more than 40…

Quirks and Quarks18:53Unearthing a small-brained hominid species that challenges human exceptionalismIn 2013 renowned paleoanthropologist Lee Berger sent a couple of cave explorers into a cave system in South Africa to see what they could find. Little did he know they’d return with photos of fossilised hominid remains that would upend everything we thought we knew about what makes us special. He and his colleagues discovered an entirely new species of ancient human relatives, called Homo naledi, that lived a few hundred…

Researchers used computer models to investigate the evolutionary role of aging. They challenge the notion that aging has no positive function, suggesting it might expedite evolution in changing environments, thereby benefiting subsequent generations. Their findings indicate that aging could be an advantageous trait selected by natural evolution. Credit: SciTechDaily.comThe mystery of aging has fascinated people for millennia, with many willing to do anything to halt or reverse this process, because aging is typically…

New research has uncovered the genetic connections of the legendary killer whale, Old Tom, to modern New Zealand killer whales, suggesting the local extinction of his kind. The study also decolonizes the history of Eden’s whaling, emphasizing the historic bond between Indigenous Australians and killer whales. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Evolutionary biologists have successfully unraveled the genetic lineage of a renowned killer whale in Australia for the first time. For the first time, evolutionary biologists have unraveled…