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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: natural selection

natural selection stories: 10 news summaries

(Newser) - Global warming is changing the face of the planet, and a key panel estimates that a quarter of the world's species will die out—but a few organisms are already evolving to survive in a hotter world. In the past few years Scottish sheep have become smaller, while species of... More »

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climate change • evolution • Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change • Charles Darwin • squirrel • biology • natural selection

 Global Warming 
 Shrinking Sheep 

Warmer winters make evolutionary drive to grow do a U-turn

Jul 3, 09 8:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Add it to the list of weird things blamed on climate change: smaller sheep. Scientists say Scotland's warmer winters explain why a wild herd on an uninhabited northern island are a full 5% smaller than they were in the '80s, the BBC reports. The theory says that only big sheep... More »

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climate change • evolution • Scotland • sheep • natural selection

 Gay Animals Key to 
 Species' Survival: Study 

'Same-sex behavior' seen all over animal kingdom

Jun 17, 09 8:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Homosexual behavior is almost everywhere among animals—penguins, dolphins, even fruit flies. And same-sex bonds may be a key adaptation that helps species survive, the Daily Telegraph reports. One-third of a Hawaiian albatross population is raised by two moms because there are so few males, researchers observed. That adaptation has... More »

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research • homosexuality • Hawaii • natural selection • albatross • animal • adaptation • animal population • gay

Dinos Evolved Wings
to Lure Opposite Sex

Feathered displays may have been about finding mates, not climbing trees

Apr 5, 09 1:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - Among paleontologists, one of the big battles has long been over why dinosaurs originally evolved wings: Did they start gliding down from trees, or need extra propulsion when running? According to a new study, the first wings were all about impressing the ladies—it was sexual selection that let bigger-winged... More »

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evolution • paleontology • dinosaur • natural selection • wings

Princeton Team Adds Twist to Darwin's Theory

It's not random, they say: Organisms can control own evolution

Nov 12, 08 7:25 PM CST
(Newser) - Princeton scientists say they have found evidence that organisms can essentially control their own evolution, a finding that could provide a fundamental shift in our understanding of Darwin's theory, reports the university's news service. The research suggests that evolution isn't entirely random, as Darwin believed. Rather, proteins within organisms constantly... More »

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evolution • Charles Darwin • biology • Princeton • natural selection

ANALYSIS

Sure, I'm Offended—
I'm Human!

People are extra sensitive these days, and science knows why

Oct 18, 08 7:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - From Larry David to John McCain, we’re all getting a little touchy these days, writes Emily Yoffe in Slate: “People are like tuning forks, ready to vibrate with indignation.” While economists argue humans are rational, “it seems we live in a culture devoted to retribution on... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • psychology • gossip • language • natural selection • morality • social behavior

 Multitasking 
 Is a Myth 

Imaging shows brain quickly switches among tasks instead

Oct 4, 08 9:33 AM CDT
(Newser) - Pull your ears away from that cell phone: Multitasking is a myth. New research shows we can’t really concentrate on two things at once; rather, the executive functions of the brain sweep quickly between multiple tasks. It’s thought that survival and the hunt made this rapid refocusing of... More »

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MIT • human evolution • MRI • multitask • University of Michigan • natural selection • scientific research • executive function

Anglicans Making Nice With Darwin

Church's essay series aims to repair evolutionist's reputation

Sep 15, 08 12:04 PM CDT
(Newser) - When Charles Darwin came out with his theory of evolution by natural selection nearly 150 years ago, the Church of England opposed it. But now, 200 years after the celebrated scientist's birth, the church has launched a website exploring its history with Darwin, and the church's head of public affairs... More »

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evolution • science • Charles Darwin • apology • Church of England • natural selection

Darwin's Papers Now Online

Once-private drafts, notes and even recipes of evolutionary scientist are free to public

Apr 17, 08 4:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - A vast collection of the papers of Charles Darwin is now online, providing public access to volumes once restricted to Cambridge scholars, the BBC reports. 20,000 items are available, including the first draft of his seminal book on evolution, travel notes and personal pieces such as family recipes, Reuters... More »

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evolution • science • research • nature • Charles Darwin • biology • natural selection

Humans Wired to Fear Snakes

Scientists find innate ability to discern slithering critters in the wild

Mar 5, 08 4:42 PM CST
(Newser) - Evolution seems to have given humans a hard-wired ability to recognize snakes and spiders, LiveScience reports. Intrigued by the widespread fear of serpents despite the fact that most humans rarely interact with them, researchers showed groups of adults and 3-year-olds natural scenes containing various hidden animals. Both groups were consistently... More »

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snakes • genes • human evolution • fear • spiders • phobias • natural selection • psychological research • fear of spiders

10 Stories


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