A new study reveals that dinosaurs, like velociraptors, were nocturnal hunters, while plant-eaters were active during the day and night. The research uses eye measurements to separate ecological and phylogenetic signals, providing insight into how environment influences evolution.
Major lineages of flowering plants began to rapidly diversify after reaching a point of development that maximized speciation success. The researchers compiled the largest plant phylogeny to date, involving 55,473 species of angiosperms.
The TimeTree app combines phylogeny and timescale data to provide a powerful tool for understanding the interrelationships and diversity of living things. By searching for two organisms, users can find when they shared a common ancestor, with results available in seconds.
The new TimeTree application provides a sophisticated means of mining scientific knowledge, answering questions about species divergence and phylogeny. The app uses a vast Internet storehouse of data about the diversity of life, from bacteria to humans.
A new method of DNA sequencing has helped researchers uncover the phylogeny of a healthy dog's gut, shedding light on how diet affects gastrointestinal infections. The study found that dogs have diverse bacterial communities, with Firmicutes and Bacteriodetes being the most prevalent.
A UT professor has made a groundbreaking discovery on how viruses jump from host to host. The study found that cross-species transmission may be driven more by host similarity than virus mutation and contact rates.
A genetic study of island lizards reveals they freely exchange genes, contradicting the prediction that geographical isolation would lead to separate species. The findings suggest ecological speciation due to differences in environmental conditions may play a crucial role in speciation.
The study, called the Genomic Encyclopedia of Bacteria and Archaea (GEBA), describes the first 56 genomes from a diverse set of microorganisms. It reveals that phylogeny plays a key role in determining where new genes appear and how they spread.
A new computing method called SATé can determine the relatedness of living things much faster and accurately analyze DNA sequences that are rapidly evolving. It creates detailed, accurate evolutionary trees that reveal the relationships among plants, animals, and other organisms.
A new study from the University of Texas at Austin reveals that Amazonian amphibian diversity originated from ancestral frogs leaping into the region from the Andes Mountains, with at least 14 dispersals occurring between 23 and 1 million years ago.
Researchers develop feature frequency profiles technique for organizing large sets of data, including nucleotide base sequences, books, and images. The method provides more comprehensive analysis over standard tools, correctly grouping works by category and author, and shedding new light on Shakespeare's authorship.
A recent study by American Museum of Natural History scientists clarifies the evolutionary relationships among seven sea turtle species. The researchers found that specialized diets arose independently in three distinct groups of sea turtles, with flatback and green turtles being closely related despite their differing diets.
Yale researchers have confirmed that plants with fast reproductive cycles exhibit more rapid rates of molecular evolution. Their study analyzed DNA sequence data for five major evolutionary lineages within flowering plants, revealing a clear pattern where shorter-lived species show greater variability in their rates of evolution.
A new family tree of all British birds provides clues about which species might be endangered next, with declining populations clustered together on the same branches. The study found a link between closely related birds and chances of population decline, but also noted that geographical area inhabited by species is not a key factor.
The journal highlights a method for ENU mutagenesis to screen the mouse genome, allowing researchers to identify genes important in specific tissues or processes. A second featured protocol provides a step-by-step process for selecting the proper method for analyzing evolutionary relationships between genes.
Research suggests that increased competition between species for resources limits new species evolution, with rates of speciation slowing down over time. Studies analyzed bird family phylogenies and found a decrease in new species formation as the number of competitors increases.
In 1977, Carl Woese led a team that identified archaea as a unique domain of life, distinct from bacteria and other organisms. Their discovery opened up a new field of study and revolutionized biology, particularly microbial ecology.
Faculty members Kirk Cameron, Wu-Chun Feng, and Dimitrios Nikolopoulos have received IBM Faculty Awards for their exceptional work in plant phylogeny, software productivity, and computing environments. The awards aim to promote collaboration between researchers and foster growth in strategic disciplines.
Researchers at Bigelow Laboratory have developed a new approach to studying marine microbes, allowing for the analysis of individual unicellular organisms. The method, which uses fluorescence-activated sorting and multi-locus DNA sequencing, enables the study of metabolic capabilities and identities of uncultured microbial taxa.
A new comparative metagenomics method reveals that microbes evolve faster in some environments than others, with many lineages remaining loyal to their habitats over time. The study provides insights into the evolution of microorganisms in different ecosystems, shedding light on the invisible life on Earth.
Researchers developed an open-source software system called InvChecker to detect microinversions in genomic sequences. Microinversions can provide insights into genetic diversity and evolution. The new approach confirmed the existing phylogenetic tree for 15 mammals, shedding light on species splits and evolutionary relationships.
Two studies on bee evolution support a new hypothesis that bees originated in Africa over 100 million years ago. The discovery of an ancient bee fossil in amber provides strong evidence for this theory.
A new species of hoofed mammal, Hemihegetotherium trilobus, has been discovered in Bolivia with distinctive three-lobed lower molar teeth. The animal is believed to have lived around 13 million years ago and was part of the notoungulate group, which dominated South America before its extinction.
Researchers have identified a conserved role for the muscarinic acetylcholine pathway in animal starvation responses, suggesting potential insights into eating disorders. The study found that starvation activates the MAPK enzyme in the pharyngeal muscles of C. elegans worms.
Researchers have identified three new species of lemurs, expanding our knowledge of these endangered animals. The study, published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, uses genetic analysis to reveal distinct species characteristics, shedding light on the importance of conservation programs for lemurs native to Madagascar.
Scientists have identified a key gene, ramosa2, that regulates inflorescence architecture in maize and other grasses. The ra2 gene's expression pattern is conserved across multiple species, suggesting its critical role in shaping the initial steps of inflorescence development.
Researchers identified ancient charophyte algae fossils with complex evolution, including vertical and spiral structures. The study sheds light on the Paleozoic era's climate and provides a non-destructive method for investigating small fossils.
A research team has published a paper in Science that uses molecular biology to fill gaps in the evolutionary history of bats. The study reveals that megabats originated from four major lineages of microbats, which emerged around 52-50 million years ago.
A research team has published a paper in Science magazine that uses molecular biology to illuminate the evolutionary history of bats. The study reveals that large fruit-eating bats (megabats) emerged from four major lineages of smaller, night-flying bats (microbats), with the latter originating around 52-50 million years ago.
Researchers propose that whales and hippos share a common water-loving ancestor 50-60 million years ago, which evolved into two distinct groups. The study reconciles the fossil record with molecular evidence, providing a new understanding of whale evolution.
A group of researchers found a strong correlation between the ages of branching points and morphological variation in four lizard groups. The study challenges the general assumption that each lineage's history is unique.
Brown algae's DNA composition was examined to reorder the division Phaeophyta, resulting in a new classification of 20 orders. A new species, Sphacelaria tsengii, was also discovered with unique propagules used for asexual reproduction.
A study by Jonathan B. Losos and Dolph Schluter found that the diversity of lizard species on larger Caribbean islands is primarily due to evolutionary processes, rather than colonization and extinction. The researchers used the Caribbean lizard phylogeny to estimate the number of immigration and speciation events on the islands.
The symposium focuses on microbial evolution, genetics, and ecology, shedding light on the complexity of life and its applications in biotechnology. Key areas of research include mutation mechanisms, antibiotic resistance, and plant microbiome interactions.
A team of 200 scientists has reconstructed the evolutionary relationships among all green plants, revealing a single common ancestor that spawned every plant species on Earth. The research also clarifies the relationships between plants and animals, overturning traditional categories.
Using advanced molecular methods, researchers at Harvard Medical School are identifying mysterious bacterial species that may be the cause of dental root caries and periodontitis. The team is also working on an integrated system for bacterial identification that can be used in various applications.