“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

RNA molecules are one of the key biomolecules of life as they appear in organisms as catalysts, building blocks, and information carriers. RNA is made up of sequences of chemical `letters’ called nucleotides, similar to the chemicals that make up DNA sequences. RNA sequences can... click to read more

Looking at nature we see symmetric arrangements in flower petals, simple spirals in snail shells, repeating branching patterns in fern leaves and lung structures, and regular arrangements of proteins in many biomolecules. But why are these symmetric and regular structures so common in biology? There... click to read more

The extinction of the dinosaurs from space rock is possibly the most famous of all mass extinctions. This ~12 km wide asteroid, about twice as tall as Kilimanjaro, impacted a reef off the coast of the Yucatán peninsula and caused tsunamis, earthquakes, and seiches. Molten... click to read more

Climate change and human activities impact living creatures in complex ways. In response, organisms may acclimate to those challenges during their lifetime or adapt over several generations, through genetic changes. Organisms with characteristics matching best their new environment, such as size at reproduction, will spread... click to read more