The Genetic Basis of Adaptation following Plastic Changes in Coloration in a novel environment. “Melanic lizards from a lava flow have both ancestral plasticity in coloration and divergence in two genes that increase pigmentation. Plasticity aided in the initial colonization of the new habitat, where natural selection then refined the phenotype.” Current Biology. 24 Sep 2018
Evolution of invasiveness by genetic accommodation. “In H. tuberosus, evolution of invasiveness was facilitated by phenotypic plasticity, and involved the use of multiple genetic solutions to achieve the same invasiveness trait.” Nature Ecology and Evolution. 7 May 2018
Flight aerodynamics in enantiornithines: Information from a new Chinese Early Cretaceous bird. Beautifully preserved bird 125-million year fossil in Mongolia, China. PLoS ONE1; 11 Oct 2017.
Recent natural selection causes adaptive evolution of an avian polygenic trait A genomic region (collagen gene COL4A5) shows selection and is correlated with variation in bill length. Science 20 Oct 2017
‘Pseudoflowers’ [that is if you can reduce flowers down to its smell — its essence?] A fungus that mimics the blueberry scent: The Scientist; the original article 15 Feb 2017
The origin of insect wings: phylogenetics, evodevo, palaeontology! 6 Feb 2017
The archaeon host who ate an alphaproteobacterium to become a eukaryon? 12 Jan 2017
Evolution in action — and what action! Animation of experiment showing bacterial evolution — IN 2 WEEKS!
How Your Nose Got Its Shape 7 Aug 2016
BOT 305 students–an example of how to understand the relationship between structure and function
Some Lichens include Basidiomycetes, The Atlantic, and there are critters called Basidiolichens 7 Aug 2016
Evolution of an ancient protein function involved in organized multicellularity in animals; eLife 2016;5:e10147e 12 Jan 2016
Nectar robbing is not always bad 26 Nov 2015
CT scans of an ancient mammal fossils suggests mammals diversified in the Triassic; PNAS Luo…Shubin 17 Nov 2015
Climate changes, flowers become less abundant…bees’ tongues become shorter 10 Oct 2015
Giraffes and their necks 8 Oct 2015
History of Life on Earth Special Issue Current Biology Vol 25, Oct 2015
Rock-climbing fish in Ecuador AMAZING!! 28 Apr 2015
In the absence of a blood meal, some malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in East Africa feed on the invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus: PLOS One 1 Oct 2015
Sustainable Development Goals 1 Oct 2015
Phenotypic plasticity is in! 16 Sep 2015
Hawks act as hummingbirds’ bodyguards—whether they realize it or not (unearth.com); Account in the Smithsonian Magazine; Original article (Science Magazine) 4 Sep 2015
CICR to produce ‘straight’ varieties of cotton on mass scale Financial Express 29 Aug 2015
ICMR gets second woman head in 100-year history natureasia.com 22 Aug 2015
An India-born Nobel laureate’s solutions for fixing science in India qz.com 6 Aug 2015
Imperfect Vaccination Can Enhance the Transmission of Highly Virulent Pathogens PLOS Biology 27 Jul 2015
Computer system identifies cattle from nose prints scidev.net 22 Jul 2015
GM Wheat Fails in the Field The Scientist 26 Jun 2015
PAU to debut reusable Bt cotton seeds Financial Express 28 Apr 2015
Complex archaea that bridge the gap between prokaryotes and eukaryotes Nature 1 Apr 2015
Re GM Wheat Fails in the Field… I often wonder and am often confused: Are GM crops the only way to feed our world? Can Vandana Shiva-type ‘natural’/’organic’ farming actually do the job?
The global population is projected to plateau at 11-12 billion around the year 2100 – a level that is within the ability of technologically-advanced farming and other basic industries to support in relative comfort. … Likewise, from a scientific point of view, it is perfectly feasible to indefinitely support our industrial system with low-carbon energy sources and closed-cycle management of key material resources.
Sean Harkin in The 21st-Century Case For A Managed Economy (2010)
A few dream on. Most others live out the nightmare.
That does sound nightmarish–I can feel the claustrophobia coming on.