Direct lightning strikes cause minimal damage to Dipteryx oleifera. But these same strikes effectively kill parasitic vines and neighboring trees that compete with the species for light and nutrients.
evolution
Posted inScience Updates
How Great was the “Great Oxidation Event”?
Geochemical sleuthing amid acid mine runoff suggests that scientists should rethink an isotope signal long taken to indicate low levels of atmospheric oxygen in Earth’s deep past.
Posted inNews
Humans Adapted to Diverse Habitats as Climate and Landscapes Changed
Long-term changes in Earth’s climate affected the dispersal of human ancestors and their adaptation to diverse habitats, a new study finds.
Posted inNews
Did a Chaotic Climate Drive Human Evolution?
A new 620,000-year climate record from East Africa reveals dramatic swings between wet and dry conditions that may have influenced human evolution.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Fluid Dynamics of Tiny, Ancient Marine Animals
Water flow simulations using 3D models of fossils yield new clues to the evolution of organisms known as medusozoans.
Posted inNews
What Can Zircons Tell Us About the Evolution of Plants?
The versatile mineral could contain evidence of the evolution of land plants and their effect on the sedimentary system.
Posted inNews
Early Life Learned to Love Oxygen Long Before It Was Cool
Laboratory experiments show that earthquakes may have helped early life evolve in an oxygen-free world.
Posted inNews
When Did Archaic Humans Control Fire?
A familiar geochemical technique shines a new spotlight on early hominin use of fire.
Posted inNews
The Flickering Sky Islands
In the Andes, islands in the sky flicker, and evolution kicks into high gear.
Posted inNews
Fossils Provide New Clues to Tibetan Plateau’s Evolution
The bones of ancient rhinos, elephants, and fish constrain when the Tibetan Plateau rose high enough to prevent migration, a move that forced animals to adapt to high-altitude conditions.