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Evolution is the process of heritable change in populations of organisms over multiple generations. Evolutionary biology is the study of this process, which can occur through mechanisms including natural selection, sexual selection and genetic drift.
A diversification model that integrates phylogenetic and fossil occurrence data reveals diversity-independent and non-adaptively radiating dynamics that govern the rise and fall of plant and animal clades
Hand bones from a human relative, found in Kenya, reveal features similar to those of living gorillas, complicating the evolutionary history of hand and tool manipulation.
Blubber is a key adaptation of modern cetaceans, but its molecular evolution remains incompletely understood. Here, Tian and colleagues identify loss of the master adipose tissue regulator β3-adrenergic receptor in crown cetaceans, possibly providing a means for later radiation and dispersal.
The interplay between speciation and extinction rates shapes clade diversity dynamics. Using a novel phylogenetic model that includes living and fossil lineages, the authors estimate speciation and extinction rates for each lineage and show that diversity dynamics are governed by a lineage tendency of macroevolutionary fitness decline, rather than clade-level processes.
A diversification model that integrates phylogenetic and fossil occurrence data reveals diversity-independent and non-adaptively radiating dynamics that govern the rise and fall of plant and animal clades
Hand bones from a human relative, found in Kenya, reveal features similar to those of living gorillas, complicating the evolutionary history of hand and tool manipulation.
Natural history museums, art museums and other historical sources are treasure troves of biodiversity data. Content in this month’s issue highlights important insights that these sources can yield.
