Search

William Gearty

The Cambrian Explosion: Evolution’s Big Bang

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.

Read More »

Fly Guts Reveal Rainforest Biodiversity

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.

Read More »