Most plants and animals reproduce sexually. Why is sex so common? This question has intrigued scientists for generations. Even Darwin pondered its prevalence. Sex occurs when two organisms merge their genetic material. Sexual parents produce genetically distinct offspring. Many organisms, however, reproduce asexually, meaning a... click to read more

The bowhead whale is above all, a whale of superlatives. It is the only large whale to live year-round in the Arctic, its "bowed head" allows it to push up through half a meter of ice, it can live up to 200 years and it... click to read more

The 3rd millennium BC in Occidental Europe and Northern Africa is marked by the appearance of a very specific type of ceramic: the bell beaker. As its name indicates, these beakers have the shape of inverted bells, and were decorated with various geometric patterns. They... click to read more

Dogs have been called man's best friend for several centuries and it is not uncommon to read about the stereotype benefits on health and well-being attributed to their companionship. Their presence in a home has been associated with longevity, less loneliness, better adaptation to living... click to read more

As evolutionary scientists, we see a paradox when we compare short-term ("ecological") and long-term ("geological") observations of evolutionary rates. When we look at adaptation to contemporary changes in environment, rapid evolutionary responses seem to be the norm. However, when examining body evolution in the fossil... click to read more