Evolution
Why are carrots orange? Scientists reveal the answer
"We identified three genes responsible for the accumulation of alpha and beta carotene, which make carrots orange," study author Massimo Iorizzo told Newsweek.
Are COVID drugs creating super viruses? Scientists weigh in
Some antivirals work by increasing the rate of mutation in SARS-CoV-2. But could this accelerate the evolution of new, super variants?
Dinosaur-like fossil discovered, providing clues into evolution of birds
The fossil is giving archaeologists important insights into the evolution of birds in the terrestrial ecosystem at the time.
Scientists discover why mysterious arachnid has alpha, beta and gamma males
The researchers found that males that had lost one of their legs during development were more likely to become gamma males, at the bottom of the male hierarchy.
Scientists discover fungi that can stop cancer to live longer
Fungi use a special type of cell division called "clamp connection" to prevent the accumulation of cancers.
Scientists discover Earth's interior triggers explosive evolution
Periodic blooms in biodiversity have occurred throughout the history of life on Earth. The mechanisms underpinning these cycles were largely unknown, until now.
Curly hair may have been key to human brains growing so big
Of all hair types, tight curls keep the body cool the best, researchers found.
Orangutans can beatbox, scientists discover
It turns out that our orangutan cousins can make two noises with their voices at once, in a similar way to human beatboxers.
This is what alien life in our solar system might look like
Researchers are "pretty excited" academic Frank Postberg told Newsweek, after finding signs of phosphates, essential for life, on one of Saturn's moons.
Female fish can pick which sperm they want to father their babies
Scientists have found that female zebrafish can filter the semen of their mates to only allow the best sperm to fertilize their eggs.
Neanderthal DNA could be to blame for your poor immune system
Researchers have found that Neanderthal DNA can affect our development, metabolism and immune systems.
Giant elephants once roamed the Earth. We now know what killed them
Megafauna like massive elephants were once thought to have gone extinct due to humans arriving, but it turns out we weren't responsible after all.
Crocodile virgin birth discovery suggests dinosaurs could do the same
Researchers documented a virgin birth in an American crocodile—the first time this unusual mode of reproduction has been seen in crocodilians.
New 100 million-year-old dinosaur discovered in Utah with "beautiful" skull
The previously unknown dinosaur, named Iani smithi after the Roman god Janus, lived at a time of major change in Earth's climate.
The species evolving in the wrong direction
Woylies are critically endangered marsupials that are evolving to be even less adept at avoiding the predators that threaten them.
Snake fearing for its life filmed playing dead: "impressive theatrics"
The eastern hognose is seen writhing dramatically, before lying belly-up on the ground, with its mouth open and its tongue lolling to the side.
Tiny spider's survival tactic to avoid being eaten shocks scientists
The spider's unusual behavior makes it much less appealing to some predators, allowing them to hide in plain sight.
California's sea lions are getting bigger
A new study has found that male California sea lions have grown larger over several decades, while females have stayed the same size.
Woman finds enormous tooth of prehistoric megalodon ancestor
"I thought right away that it looked similar to a shark's tooth, but was confused because it was quite a large size," Rachel Shill Cook told Newsweek.
Blue-eyed coyotes in California leave experts puzzled
Since 2018, coyotes with a rare genetic mutation that causes them to have piercing blue eyes have been spotted in certain areas of California.
Why smaller dogs live longer
Scientists have figured out why larger dogs die earlier than smaller dogs, and it may be because we bred them so intensively to be larger.
The species that change sex
A surprisingly large number of species can swap from male to female or female to male at some point during their lives based on their environment.
The heartbreaking case of a monkey with a disabled baby
The mother capuchin mother carried the baby for several hours after it died from a fall, having been unable to cling to her back.
Creature image reveals one of "weirdest evolutionary novelties" on Earth
The bizarre animal, found in eastern North America, has a strange body part that helps make it one of the fastest foragers in the animal kingdom.
How sharks survived the mass extinction asteroid that killed the dinosaurs
The mass extinction event resulted from the impact of a giant space rock that smashed into the Earth around 66 million years ago.
Spiders in dark caves are evolving to go blind
Researchers found that spiders deep inside caves had nearly entirely lost their eyes, while spiders living at the cave entrances were only partially blind.
Miniproteins that may be key to human evolution appeared "out of nowhere"
Scientists have discovered many new microproteins that are coded for in parts of our DNA previously thought to be empty.
Photos show great white shark's ripped fin "zipped" itself back up
The reason behind this remarkable wound-healing ability is unclear, but researchers think it may have something to do with shark mating.
How crocodiles became such ruthless, efficient apex predators
Nile crocodiles are estimated to be responsible for 200 human deaths every year. Now, researchers have discovered the secret to their unbeatable hunting tactics.
Strange new snake species dubbed primitive "relic of time"
"They are animals so old that finding or bumping into one of them is a privilege," a researcher said.