Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last few months (and even caves have wi-fi now surely?), you’ll have noticed that it’s Darwin’s bicentennial on February 12. To celebrate, I will be posting a series of eight consecutive articles, each one focusing on a different aspect of evolutionary biology.
As per usual, each one focuses on a single research paper. Four are reposts drawn from the old site and four will be fresh posts based on papers that have come out just this week.
It’s my way of marking the occasion without too much hyperbole or melodrama. The point is that 150 years later, scientists are still constantly discovering examples that beautifully illustrate the principles of Darwin’s work.
Let the games begin.
- Evolution of the eye – Living optic fibres bypass the retina’s incompetent design
- The rise of new species – How diversity creates itself – cascades of new species among flies and parasitic wasps
- Evolution in real-time – Butterflies evolve resistance to male-killing bacteria in record time
- Punctuated evolution – Of flowers and pollinators – a case study of puncutated evolution
- Evolutionary arms races – Mud time capsules show evolutionary arms race between host and parasite
- Human evolution – A burst of DNA duplication in the ancestor of humans, chimps and gorillas
- Co-evolution and horizontal gene transfer – Wasps use genes stolen from ancient viruses to make biological weapons
- Virus evolution – How the common cold evolves – full genomes of all known human rhinoviruses
Go Further
Animals
- Cougar travels 1,000 miles in one of longest recorded treksCougar travels 1,000 miles in one of longest recorded treks
- Rare gray whale spotted in the Atlantic—and it's only the beginningRare gray whale spotted in the Atlantic—and it's only the beginning
- Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and faunaWhy 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna
- Termite fossils prove mating hasn't changed in 38 million yearsTermite fossils prove mating hasn't changed in 38 million years
Environment
- Why the 2024 hurricane season could be especially activeWhy the 2024 hurricane season could be especially active
- Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think.Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think.
- This deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the worldThis deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the world
- Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and faunaWhy 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna
- This exploding mine holds a treasure that may change the worldThis exploding mine holds a treasure that may change the world
History & Culture
- See the story of Jonah and the whale like never beforeSee the story of Jonah and the whale like never before
- This ancient mosaic offers extraordinary insights into the pastThis ancient mosaic offers extraordinary insights into the past
- These are the real dunes that inspired Dune—and you can visit themThese are the real dunes that inspired Dune—and you can visit them
- Meet the only woman privy to the plot to kill Julius CaesarMeet the only woman privy to the plot to kill Julius Caesar
Science
- Women’s bodies are understudied—but that’s starting to changeWomen’s bodies are understudied—but that’s starting to change
- Hundreds of tiny arachnids are likely on your face right nowHundreds of tiny arachnids are likely on your face right now
- What's worse than a hangover? Hangxiety. Here's why it happens.What's worse than a hangover? Hangxiety. Here's why it happens.
Travel
- A taste of West Bengal, from curries to Kolkata street foodA taste of West Bengal, from curries to Kolkata street food
- Discover southeastern Spain's secret coastal regionDiscover southeastern Spain's secret coastal region