We can only guess as to why a group of Neanderthals built a series of large and mysterious stalagmite structures in a French cave - but the fact they did provides a rare glimpse into our cousin species’ potential for social organisation in a challenging environment.
Neanderthals and Denisovans may have supplied modern humans with genetic variants that let them thrive in new environments.
Gut dwellers signal immune cells to stay calm and dial down inflammation.
A mind-bending, fantastic question: how did life on earth begin? This is a subject not only for speculation, but also for scientific investigation. We explore the leading theories for the origin of life on our planet.
Science nowadays often starts from the assumption of continuity between humans and animals, while shifting the burden of proof to those who insist on differences. Anyone who asks me to believe that a tickled ape, who almost chokes on his hoarse giggles, is in a different state of mind than a tickled human child has his work cut out for him.
Did sexual reproduction evolve to keep up with mitochondrial mutation?
What's in a minimal cell? This is very close to the basic requirements of life as we know it. For a full 17 percent of the genes we have no clear idea of what they do.
Experiments in evolution are exploring what would happen if we rewound the tape of life.
An evolutionary burst 540 million years ago filled the seas with an astonishing diversity of animals. The trigger behind that revolution is finally coming into focus.
According to a new finding, described as a "shock" by its discoverers, a single mutation 600 million years ago may be responsible for the emergence of complex organisms -- including all of the plants and animals that we are familiar with -- from a single-celled ancestor. This evolutionary accident enabled cells to communicate with each others and therefore to cooperate.
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