It is no secret that the Earth is getting hotter. A buildup of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane has sparked a slow but steady increase in the amount of heat that is trapped by the atmosphere. As
New fossil remains of prehistoric reptiles shine light on the dark coloration of their skin. These distinct pigmentations may have played key ecological roles in these distantly related animals.
The origins of insects, spiders, scorpions, crustaceans, and their relatives date to more than 500 million years ago, a period termed the Cambrian Explosion, when most of the modern groups of arthropods first occurred. A new study shows that rates of arthropod evolution during this period were 4 to 5 times faster than they are today.
Through the analysis of DNA within fly guts, scientists can now indirectly assess the mammals that live in a given area. This new method of rainforest monitoring reduces time, resources, and labor necessary to understand this key biodiversity.
The recent discovery of fossilized birds in China leads scientists to believe that the earliest birds may have possessed four wings, as opposed to the two wings of all modern birds. However, scientists are split over the function of these distinct hind limb feathers.
The Earth is a dynamic system, covered with species constantly moving across its surface in time and space. Yale Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Walter Jetz has begun work on a new system for tracking the distributions of species through the integration of data from a diverse array of sources.
Dakota McCoy fills many shoes: those of an athlete, a professional researcher, a leader, and a great naturalist. She was recently awarded the Rhodes Scholarship and plans to study zoology or environmental policy at Oxford University.
New analyses show that the Yucatan Peninsula meteor impact did not cause the demise of the dinosaurs. Rather, mega-volcanism occurring in India correlates with the decrease in species diversity and eventual mass extinctions of this time period.
A new study of prehistoric environments has helped to clarify both the timeline and the consequences of an Australian extinction event.
