This statement about natural selection is the last sentence of Adaptation and Natural Selection, George Williams' masterpiece about evolution. George Williams is one of the unsung heroes of 20th…

There is no question that humans are unique among living things in possessing a rich communications vehicle like language. However, by itself, this is insufficient to explain why such a thing should…

In this installment I would like to extend the concepts of belief systems into other areas that we are all familiar with but haven’t necessarily explored. The data organization capability of the…

Animals have an astonishing ability to develop reliably, in spite of variable conditions during embryogenesis. New research published this week  addresses how living things can develop into…

This is a three part series that will explore the nature of belief systems, or worldviews and offer some perspectives on how they are formed and function. Belief systems are fundamental to human…

A team of researchers has reported the ongoing emergence of a new species of fruit fly and the sequential development of a new species of wasp.  Jeff Feder, a University of Notre Dame biologist…

The Wallace Line is called such because when Alfred Russel Wallace made his way to the East Indies to tackle the secrets of biology, he found there was a 'line' in the Malay Archipelago that divides…

Show Me The Science Month Day 22 How do genes work together to build body traits? This is one of the hottest questions in genetics today, and the answer holds implications not only for our…

Below is a detailed response to my latest post, which Ken graciously sent me for publication here. After that, you will find a few additional notes from yours truly. Dear Massimo, Thanks, of course,…

What use is half a wing? When Charles Darwin unleashed his revolutionary theory of evolution in the mid-1800s, one of the first questions doubters nailed him with went something like ; you have the…