51��

Skip to content

H7WWT1 Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) pair calling from burrow entrance, Volunteer Point, East Falkland Island, Falkland

Life

How climate change is forcing animals that mate for life to break up

Many animals enter into long monogamous relationships to raise offspring, but we know they can break up – and new research suggests global warming is sometimes to blame

Features

Tiktaalik, an early fish that crawled on land

Life

Spine of early crawling fish was becoming more like a land animal's

51��

Tightly-curled hair appears to maximise the shielding effect from the sun while minimising an unwanted insulating effect

Humans

Curly hair may have evolved to protect early humans from the sun

51��

Paranthropus, early human relative

Humans

Early hominin Paranthropus may have used sophisticated stone tools

51��

The coronavirus is continuing to mutate as it spreads

Health

Millions of coronavirus mutations offer a new insight into evolution

51��

Light micrograph of a section through the spleen of a patient with Gaucher's disease. Small lymphocytes and large macrophage cells (Gaucher?s cells, pink, a type of white blood cell) are present. Gaucher's disease is an inherited metabolic disorder in which a fatty substance called glucocerebroside accumulates in the spleen (in macrophages), lungs, liver and bone marrow, and sometimes the brain. This is due to an absence of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GC). The disease appears in childhood, and some forms are fatal in the first few years. Other forms cause enlargement of the affected organs, weak and painful bones and anaemia. Some forms also cause severe nervous system damage. There is no cure, but enzyme replacement therapy using GC can relieve the symptoms. Haematoxylin-eosin saffron (HES) stain. Magnification: x400 at 24x36 mm size.

Health

Genes for Gaucher disease may have protected Jewish people against TB

51��

close up of woman's eyes

Mind

The evolutionary origin of paranoia and why it is becoming more common

Features

Straight-tusked elephant bones hint at routine hunting and butchering by Neanderthals

Humans

Neanderthals hunted enormous elephants that fed 100 people for a month

51��

Burying beetle

Life

Animals that care for young may have more mutations and evolve faster

51��

Banded mongoose group approaching with curiosity (Mungos mungo). Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March 2018.

Life

Inside the complex and extremely violent world of warring mongooses

Banded mongooses have long been used as a model of animal cooperation. Now, researchers in Uganda are starting to get to grips with the harsh realities of their long-running and bloody battles

Features

Life

Multicellular life may have begun with brief alliances between cells

51��

Life

Early relatives of primates lived in the Arctic 52 million years ago

51��

Life

Male and female gibbons sing duets in time with each other

51��

Life

Sloths have double the grip strength of humans and other primates

51��