#evolutionarybiology — Public Fediverse posts

A recent morphological study of fossilized skulls reveals that archaic humans, including Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis, birthed physically helpless infants that required intensive, constant parental care similar to modern human babies.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Anthropology #Paleontology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07292601.html

A recent morphological study of fossilized skulls reveals that archaic humans, including Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis, birthed physically helpless infants that required intensive, constant parental care similar to modern human babies.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Anthropology #Paleontology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07292601.html

Deletions in genes that regulate early brain and neuron development are associated with more severe features of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, specifically diminished cognitive abilities.
#Neurogenetics #Psychiatry #Neuroscience #EvolutionaryBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/psyc07282601.html

Deletions in genes that regulate early brain and neuron development are associated with more severe features of schizophrenia spectrum disorders, specifically diminished cognitive abilities.
#Neurogenetics #Psychiatry #Neuroscience #EvolutionaryBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/psyc07282601.html

My 10yo son proposed that Hutts evolved from legged ancestors and lost their hindlimbs rather than evolving from legless slug-like ancestors and gaining forelimbs, which I think is far more plausible, given multiple patterns of limb loss in lizards.
#zoology #starwars #evolution #evolutionaryBiology

My 10yo son proposed that Hutts evolved from legged ancestors and lost their hindlimbs rather than evolving from legless slug-like ancestors and gaining forelimbs, which I think is far more plausible, given multiple patterns of limb loss in lizards.
#zoology #starwars #evolution #evolutionaryBiology

The discovery of 1.4-million-year-old fossil footprints in northern Kenya preserves the tracks of eight Paranthropus boisei individuals, providing direct evidence of their anatomy, locomotion, and behavior.
#Paleoanthropology #EvolutionaryBiology #Geology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/pal07272601.html

The discovery of 1.4-million-year-old fossil footprints in northern Kenya preserves the tracks of eight Paranthropus boisei individuals, providing direct evidence of their anatomy, locomotion, and behavior.
#Paleoanthropology #EvolutionaryBiology #Geology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/pal07272601.html

Energetic flexibility describes an animal's ability to adjust how it allocates energy among survival, reproduction, and migration as environmental conditions and physiological demands change.
#Ecology #Ornithology #EvolutionaryBiology #EnvironmentalScience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/eco07272601.html

Energetic flexibility describes an animal's ability to adjust how it allocates energy among survival, reproduction, and migration as environmental conditions and physiological demands change.
#Ecology #Ornithology #EvolutionaryBiology #EnvironmentalScience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/eco07272601.html

Human reproductive ecology (Evolutionary biology 🧬)

Human reproductive ecology is a subfield in evolutionary biology that is concerned with human reproductive processes and responses to ecological variables. It is based in the natural and social sciences, and is based on theory and models deriving from human and animal biology, evolutionary theory,...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_reproductive_ecology

#HumanReproductiveEcology #HumanReproduction #EvolutionaryBiology #ReproductiveEcology

Infection by the tapeworm Anomotaenia brevis fundamentally alters the physiology of Temnothorax nylanderi worker ants, significantly extending their lifespan while suppressing their natural activity levels.
#Entomology #Parasitology #EvolutionaryBiology #Genomics #MolecularBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ent07212601.html

Infection by the tapeworm Anomotaenia brevis fundamentally alters the physiology of Temnothorax nylanderi worker ants, significantly extending their lifespan while suppressing their natural activity levels.
#Entomology #Parasitology #EvolutionaryBiology #Genomics #MolecularBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ent07212601.html

New review: The Inquisitive Biologist reaches back in time and finally reads The Ascent of Birds to find a fascinating foray into bird evolution and the many different mechanisms of speciation.

https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2026/07/21/book-review-the-ascent-of-birds-how-modern-science-is-revealing-their-story/

#Books #BookReview #Bookstodon #Birds #Ornithology #Evolution #EvolutionaryBiology #Scicomm @bookstodon

New review: The Inquisitive Biologist reaches back in time and finally reads The Ascent of Birds to find a fascinating foray into bird evolution and the many different mechanisms of speciation.

https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2026/07/21/book-review-the-ascent-of-birds-how-modern-science-is-revealing-their-story/

#Books #BookReview #Bookstodon #Birds #Ornithology #Evolution #EvolutionaryBiology #Scicomm @bookstodon

University of Michigan researchers utilized advanced artificial intelligence to demonstrate that passerine birds (order Passeriformes) underwent rapid bursts of morphological evolution that directly coincided with major historical climate shifts.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Ornithology #Paleoclimatology #ComputationalBiology #AI #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07202601.html

University of Michigan researchers utilized advanced artificial intelligence to demonstrate that passerine birds (order Passeriformes) underwent rapid bursts of morphological evolution that directly coincided with major historical climate shifts.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Ornithology #Paleoclimatology #ComputationalBiology #AI #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07202601.html

Inbreeding avoidance (Evolutionary biology 🧬)

Inbreeding avoidance, or the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis, is a concept in evolutionary biology that refers to the prevention of the harmful effects of inbreeding. The inbreeding avoidance hypothesis posits that certain mechanisms develop within a species, or within a given population of a species, as a res...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inbreeding_avoidance

#InbreedingAvoidance #PopulationGenetics #EvolutionaryBiology #OrganismsByAdaptation

The World’s Highest-Living Mammal Is Rewriting the Limits of Life

The Andean leaf-eared mouse has the same kind of muscle tissue as a marathon runner, one of multiple…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Wildlife #climatechange #evolution #Evolutionarybiology #McMasterUniversity #mice #Science
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/769663/

The World’s Highest-Living Mammal Is Rewriting the Limits of Life

The Andean leaf-eared mouse has the same kind of muscle tissue as a marathon runner, one of multiple…
#NewsBeep #News #Wildlife #AU #Australia #Climatechange #Evolution #EvolutionaryBiology #McMasterUniversity #mice #Science
https://www.newsbeep.com/au/807164/

The World’s Highest-Living Mammal Is Rewriting the Limits of Life

The Andean leaf-eared mouse has the same kind of muscle tissue as a marathon runner, one of multiple…
#NewsBeep #News #Wildlife #CA #Canada #climatechange #Evolution #EvolutionaryBiology #McMasterUniversity #mice #Science
https://www.newsbeep.com/ca/808963/

As climate-driven sea level rise increases the salinity of freshwater environments, aquatic microbial communities lose biodiversity but maintain their overall growth rate and biomass production.
#MicrobialEcology #EvolutionaryBiology #EnvironmentalMicrobiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/eco07172601.html

As climate-driven sea level rise increases the salinity of freshwater environments, aquatic microbial communities lose biodiversity but maintain their overall growth rate and biomass production.
#MicrobialEcology #EvolutionaryBiology #EnvironmentalMicrobiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/eco07172601.html

Cellular hibernation, or ribosome dormancy, is a biological survival strategy that allows microorganisms to pause protein production when exposed to harsh environmental stress. By halting ribosomal activity, these cells conserve energy and protect essential cellular components until favorable conditions return.
#StructuralCellBiology #EvolutionaryBiology #DeepSeaEcology #Microbiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/cbio07162601.html

Cellular hibernation, or ribosome dormancy, is a biological survival strategy that allows microorganisms to pause protein production when exposed to harsh environmental stress. By halting ribosomal activity, these cells conserve energy and protect essential cellular components until favorable conditions return.
#StructuralCellBiology #EvolutionaryBiology #DeepSeaEcology #Microbiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/cbio07162601.html

The "lemon frost" morph of the leopard gecko is a uniquely tumor-prone reptile that develops aggressive, metastasizing cancers naturally and early in life.
#Oncology #Genomics #EvolutionaryBiology #Genetics #Zoology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ongy07152601.html

The "lemon frost" morph of the leopard gecko is a uniquely tumor-prone reptile that develops aggressive, metastasizing cancers naturally and early in life.
#Oncology #Genomics #EvolutionaryBiology #Genetics #Zoology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ongy07152601.html

Colobus congoensis is a newly discovered, distinct species of monkey endemic to the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, characterized by its mostly black fur and striking orange facial patches.
#Primatology #EvolutionaryBiology #Taxonomy #ConservationBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/zoo07152601.html

Colobus congoensis is a newly discovered, distinct species of monkey endemic to the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, characterized by its mostly black fur and striking orange facial patches.
#Primatology #EvolutionaryBiology #Taxonomy #ConservationBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/zoo07152601.html

Researchers have discovered that specific bacteriophages infecting agriculturally significant bacterial plant pathogens can remain genetically stable for decades, challenging the widespread assumption that all viruses mutate rapidly.
#Virology #PlantPathology #Microbiology #Genomics #EvolutionaryBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/vi07132602.html

Researchers have discovered that specific bacteriophages infecting agriculturally significant bacterial plant pathogens can remain genetically stable for decades, challenging the widespread assumption that all viruses mutate rapidly.
#Virology #PlantPathology #Microbiology #Genomics #EvolutionaryBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/vi07132602.html

A recently engineered RNA-based enzyme, or ribozyme, demonstrates the ability to selectively recognize and mend broken RNA strands without the need for proteins. This finding suggests that primordial life forms could have successfully maintained and repaired their genetic codes using only RNA.
#Biochemistry #Biotechnology #EvolutionaryBiology #MolecularBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/bchm07132601.html

A recently engineered RNA-based enzyme, or ribozyme, demonstrates the ability to selectively recognize and mend broken RNA strands without the need for proteins. This finding suggests that primordial life forms could have successfully maintained and repaired their genetic codes using only RNA.
#Biochemistry #Biotechnology #EvolutionaryBiology #MolecularBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/bchm07132601.html

Plants confronting the dual crises of climate change and dwindling pollinator populations are evolving to prioritize pollinator attraction over climate adaptation, leading to a steep decline in their overall rate of adaptation.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Ecology #Botany #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07122601.html

Plants confronting the dual crises of climate change and dwindling pollinator populations are evolving to prioritize pollinator attraction over climate adaptation, leading to a steep decline in their overall rate of adaptation.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Ecology #Botany #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07122601.html

Rapoport's rule (Ecogeographic rules 🌍)

Rapoport's rule is an ecogeographical rule that states that latitudinal ranges of plants and animals are generally smaller at lower latitudes than at higher latitudes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapoport's_rule

#RapoportSRule #SystemsEcology #EcogeographicRules #EvolutionaryBiology

This week's #NewBooks at the library:
- I found a much reduced copy of Contesting Earth's History in Transatlantic Literary Culture, 1860–1935: Believers and Visionaries on the Borderlines of #Geology and #Palaeontology, published by Oxford University Press
- I was so taken with Guillermo del Toro's visual take on #Frankenstein, I bought the book on the making of the movie by Sheila O'Malley, published by Titan Books.
- I found a second-hand copy of The Spirit of System: #Lamarck and #EvolutionaryBiology, published by Harvard University Press, which should come in handy for a future review on Lamarck.

#Books #Bookstodon #Paleontology #HistoryOfScience #ScienceHistory #HistSci #Evolution #Scicomm @bookstodon

This week's #NewBooks at the library:
- I found a much reduced copy of Contesting Earth's History in Transatlantic Literary Culture, 1860–1935: Believers and Visionaries on the Borderlines of #Geology and #Palaeontology, published by Oxford University Press
- I was so taken with Guillermo del Toro's visual take on #Frankenstein, I bought the book on the making of the movie by Sheila O'Malley, published by Titan Books.
- I found a second-hand copy of The Spirit of System: #Lamarck and #EvolutionaryBiology, published by Harvard University Press, which should come in handy for a future review on Lamarck.

#Books #Bookstodon #Paleontology #HistoryOfScience #ScienceHistory #HistSci #Evolution #Scicomm @bookstodon

Limnospondylus ajimuensis is an extinct, newly identified genus and species of giant salamander that inhabited the freshwater lakes and marshes of Japan approximately 3.5 million years ago.
#Paleontology #EvolutionaryBiology #Herpetology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/pal07102601.html

Limnospondylus ajimuensis is an extinct, newly identified genus and species of giant salamander that inhabited the freshwater lakes and marshes of Japan approximately 3.5 million years ago.
#Paleontology #EvolutionaryBiology #Herpetology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/pal07102601.html

Recent archaeological evidence indicates that modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) shared a continuous culture spanning over 20,000 years, engaging in deep behavioral and technological exchange.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Archaeology #Paleoanthropology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07072601.html

Recent archaeological evidence indicates that modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) shared a continuous culture spanning over 20,000 years, engaging in deep behavioral and technological exchange.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Archaeology #Paleoanthropology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/07/ebio07072601.html

Hydrochromism is a reversible form of dynamic camouflage where the optical properties of an organism change in response to environmental moisture. In certain arboreal snails, this allows their patterned shells to darken uniformly in the rain, blending seamlessly with wet tree bark.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Malacology #Biophysics #MaterialsScience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/ebio06302601.html

Hydrochromism is a reversible form of dynamic camouflage where the optical properties of an organism change in response to environmental moisture. In certain arboreal snails, this allows their patterned shells to darken uniformly in the rain, blending seamlessly with wet tree bark.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Malacology #Biophysics #MaterialsScience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/ebio06302601.html

I really enjoyed this article about using evolutionary biology tools to predict success of human players in soccer.

It starts with a great quote:
> "In humans, as with many other animals, individuals advertise their ability to perform under pressure through ritualized combat, usually called sport. Elite performance in a sport brings status, resources and mating opportunities."

Sounds about right!
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5740267/

#evolutionaryBiology
#sportsScience
#soccer
#football

I really enjoyed this article about using evolutionary biology tools to predict success of human players in soccer.

It starts with a great quote:
> "In humans, as with many other animals, individuals advertise their ability to perform under pressure through ritualized combat, usually called sport. Elite performance in a sport brings status, resources and mating opportunities."

Sounds about right!
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5740267/

#evolutionaryBiology
#sportsScience
#soccer
#football

#ESEB2027 @eseb will be multi-hub in Munich, London, Gothenburg, and Istanbul. 😎
11-20 August 2027
https://eseb2027.org/
#EvolutionaryBiology

#ESEB2027 @eseb will be multi-hub in Munich, London, Gothenburg, and Istanbul. 😎
11-20 August 2027
https://eseb2027.org/
#EvolutionaryBiology

The blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) has adapted to perpetual darkness by losing its eyes and pigmentation, evolving novel neurobehavioral traits such as increased activity in the presence of light, which represents a complete behavioral reversal from its sighted surface relatives.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Neuroscience #Neurogenetics #Zoology #Ichthyology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/ebio06242602.html

The blind Mexican cavefish (Astyanax mexicanus) has adapted to perpetual darkness by losing its eyes and pigmentation, evolving novel neurobehavioral traits such as increased activity in the presence of light, which represents a complete behavioral reversal from its sighted surface relatives.
#EvolutionaryBiology #Neuroscience #Neurogenetics #Zoology #Ichthyology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/ebio06242602.html

A recent genetic analysis of late Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) in Western Europe indicates that these populations were genetically diverse, healthy, and interconnected just before their extinction.
#EvolutionaryBiology #PopulationGenetics #BiologicalAnthropology #Paleogenomics #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/ebio06242601.html

The rate-mismatch hypothesis posits that global mass extinctions occur when the pace of environmental change outstrips the rate at which biological life can undergo evolutionary adaptation. It provides a mathematical model linking Earth's historic extinction events to the critical disparities between environmental shifts and species' adaptive capabilities.
#Paleobiology #Paleoclimatology #Geophysics #AppliedMathematics #EvolutionaryBiology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/pal06242601.html

Endogenous Retroviruses (ERVs) are the fossilized genetic remnants of ancient infectious viruses that successfully invaded the mammalian germline tens of millions of years ago. Comprising roughly five to eight percent of the human genome, these elements exist as a latent virome that provides critical evolutionary functions while posing significant pathological risks if reactivated.
#WhatIs #EvolutionaryBiology #MolecularGenetics #Virology #Epigenetics #Oncology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/wi06242601.html

The evolutionary advantage of photosymbiosis in corals is not a fixed biological trait but is contingent upon environmental context, as demonstrated by a 500-million-year analysis of coral survival.
#Paleobiology #MarineBiology #EvolutionaryBiology #AI #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/pal06232601.html

New paper out in PNAS on hominin body size evolution
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2521732123
#evolution #evolutionaryBiology #science

The ability to form and break habits is an evolutionary adaptation that allows animals to automate complex tasks, significantly reducing mental effort and preserving cognitive resources for survival.
#EvolutionaryBiology #BehavioralEcology #ComparativePsychology #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2026/06/ebio06222601.html