Why do some insects not have wings when having wings is an advantage? Wings on insects are described as “being the key evolutionary innovation leading to the success of the group” (Daly 1978). I think the key (to repeat the word) aspect of that quoted …
NEWS AND VIEWS (COMMENT): They are worth millions but they are unsaleable. Cambridge University has lost two of Charles Darwin’s notebooks written in 1830 after he visited the Galapogos Islands. They are considered to be two of the most valuable manuscripts in the world. One …
Scientists have come to a neat theory as to why some of the best-known dinosaurs evolved into having such enormously long necks. And when you think about it, it makes sense. Over millions of years they developed long necks to feed from the leaves of …
The argument by scientists who have published a research paper in the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, is that if you poison an unwanted predator such as the dingo (Canis lupus dingo) they change and the change can undermine the desired outcome. It’s reported …
It is probably universally agreed today that the domestic dog’s wild ancestor is the Asiatic wolf. They lived in the warmer parts of the planet and their build is similar to that of the feral dogs of today. It is possible that some people imagine …
“Dishonest signalling” describes an animal making a sound which portrays itself as bigger than it really is. Often the purpose is to attract mates. It sounds like human behaviour doesn’t it? Humans often exaggerate to impress. In this instance, however, researchers say that their preliminary …