Ancient species may have evolved more slowly and lasted longer, but the pace of evolution picked up after global ice ages, according to a new study from Virginia Tech. Published in the journal Science, the research traces the rise and fall of ancient life—long before the age of dinosaurs. If we think of the Earth […]
Evolution
The Genetic Code Shared by All Living Beings Is the Result of the Survival of One Among Several Primitive Codes
In the vast history of Earth, billions of years ago, an arid landscape dominated by volcanoes and shallow pools may have witnessed the beginning of something extraordinary: life. An illustrative scene generated by artificial intelligence captures this vision, with a primitive coastline serving as the backdrop for the early evolutionary steps that would define the […]
New Fossil Discovery Reveals the Ancestry of Mollusks as Armored Spiny Slugs
Researchers from the University of Oxford have unearthed a fossil that reshapes our understanding of the early evolution of mollusks. This remarkable find, a new species named Shishania aculeata, dates back 500 million years and provides insights into the origins of one of the most diverse and widespread groups of animals on the planet. The […]
LUCA, the Common Ancestor of All Living Things, Arose 400 Million Years After Earth Formation
An international team of researchers, led by the University of Bristol, has made a significant discovery regarding Earth’s earliest life forms. The study concludes that life began to flourish on our planet only a few hundred million years after its formation. This research focuses on LUCA, the Last Universal Common Ancestor, from which all modern […]
Researchers Reveal Why Animal Size Decreases Over Time
Scientists have long wondered why some animal species seem to gradually get smaller over long periods of time, as shown by the fossil record. A new study proposes it may depend on two key ecological factors – competition for resources between species and the risk of extinction in their environment. Using computer models that simulate […]