Evolution & Behaviour
Cicada emergence alters forest food webs
During a periodical cicada emergence, millions upon millions of shrimp-like insects synchronously crawl out of their burrows after 13 or 17 years underground, molt into winged adults, and briefly saturate the local landscape, providing food for a wide range of generalist predators. Despite centuries of... click to read more
Size does not matter: direct estimations of mutation rates in baleen whales
Mutations drive evolution and thus knowing how often they occur is fundamental to studying biology. Several methods are available to estimate mutation rates, among which phylogenetic estimates are the most common. In essence, this method consists of counting the number of differences in the DNA... click to read more
The Claws and the Spear: New Evidence of Neanderthal-Cave Lion Interactions
Felids, ranging from domestic cats to majestic tigers and lions, have wielded a profound influence on human culture throughout history. This impact can be traced back to prehistoric times when European foragers shared their environment with large cats like cave lions (Panthera spelaea), which are... click to read more
A deep-sea spa: the key to the pearl octopus’ success
In 2018, scientists exploring the base of an inactive undersea volcano off California were startled to discover a massive breeding ground for deep-sea octopuses. As many as 20,000 pearl octopuses (Muusoctopus robustus) were found at this “Octopus Garden” 3 kilometers underwater, in the largest known... click to read more
Feisty fish and birds with attitude: Why does evolution not lead to identical individuals?
“Survival of the fittest” is synonymous with adaptive evolution. This catchy phrase suggests that all individuals within a population become identical over time by developing “THE fittest” heritable traits. Yet, in nature, we observe many differences between individuals. For example, sticklebacks (tiny fish) in the... click to read more
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