Tag Archives: evolution
Several Mutations In One Gene Leads To Evolutionary Change
Genetic scientists studying deer mice in Nebraska have determined that changes in the the color of their coats can be attributed to nine small changes in one specific gene over the course of the species’ evolution. This finding explains how organisms are able to fine-tune their bodies to their habitat over an extended period of time. This also opens the … [ Read more ]
Ancient DNA In Tartar Shows Negative Trend In Oral Health
If you hate going to the dentist, you are not alone. And it could get worse. A new study reports that, over time, oral health in humans has declined as a result of our changing diet. Scientists examined changes in our dietary habits throughout human evolution and found that as the food we ate changed, so did the bacteria within … [ Read more ]
Redhead Genetics Linked To Evolution, But Extinction?
Happy Roodharigendag (that’s Redhead Day in Dutch). It’s a summer festival that takes place the first weekend in September in the Netherlands. This year, nearly 5,000 people gathered to celebrate all things fiery red, especially this unique phenotype. But what exactly is the genetic story behind red hair? How do redheads get that auburn tone? And does their rumored extinction … [ Read more ]
Evolution Explains Why Women React Differently To Bad News Than Men
Women are more affected by bad news and can also remember the details better than their male counterparts, according to new research. The study, which is one of the first to look at the body’s response to negative media, included 60 men and women who were shown news articles of accidents and murders. Researchers found that women react to bad news … [ Read more ]
Why Women Prefer Hairless Men
While some men may prefer blonde hair and blue eyes, most women opt for a hairless man. Researchers studied more than 150 Turkish women and nearly 200 Slovakian women to rate the attractiveness of men with hairy chests and men with hairless chests. The study revealed women across the board preferred men without hair. Only a very few women who … [ Read more ]
Prehistoric Dentistry Provides Important Clues About Evolution
Long before we evolved to be Homo sapiens, our species was known as Australopithecines. Fossil hunters who first dug the bones of another species, Paranthropus, at South Africa’s Swartkrans cave had long known the creature made no stone tools at all. Its huge back teeth and massive jaw muscles seemed useful only for grinding tough fibrous plants and roots with … [ Read more ]
Tigers Change Schedule To Accomodate Human Activity
Researchers in Nepal report that area tigers are changing their habits in order to coexist with humans. Both people and tigers share space in Chitwan National Park. Villagers and tigers often walk the same paths, however, tigers are now traveling mainly at night, when they know they won’t run into people. Likewise, people know not to enter the forest at … [ Read more ]
Early Humans Chose Diet Based On Preferences And Availability
Scientists recently analyzed the teeth of early hominins found near Johannesburg, South Africa, to gain insight into their diet. They found the remains of three different genera of hominins that date back 2 million years. They tested the fossilized teeth of the Homo hominin to discover that it ate much more meat than its cousin, the Australopithecus, which dined on … [ Read more ]
Freaked Out By Zombies, Clowns, and Robots? Science Explains Why
Scientists are examining why zombies, clowns and robots tend to creep people out. They have discovered that these forms bother us because they are almost human, still not quite. This mix of human and non-human features makes us uncomfortable. Scientists have developed a scale to pinpoint the exact point between robot and human characteristics where we get grossed out. They … [ Read more ]
