Links to stories–mostly science

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 animalseLife 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 TriassicPNAS 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 MagazineOriginal 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

3 Responses to Links to stories–mostly science

  1. Rama Shankaran says:

    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?

  2. Rama Shankaran says:

    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.

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