The newly discovered fossil records suggest that mold-like single-cell organisms "set the stage" for the animal kingdom to evolve, the researchers wrote in a new report, published in the journal ...

Being a scientist is much like being a lawyer. You painstakingly gather evidence to support an argument — though one rooted in the scientific method, not courtroom conjecture. According to new ...

Our new study reveals a different, often overlooked factor. Daily swings in oxygen levels on the shallow seafloor may have stressed early animals (the ancestors of all animal life today), pushing them ...

For more than 100 years, biologists have wondered why animals display different types of life cycles. Some species, like humans and most vertebrates, develop directly into a fully formed yet smaller ...

It’s easy to focus on the grim aspects, especially when considering the violent ends some animals meet. However, it’s important to remember that this represents only a small part of their existence.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Here's why Dickinsonia challenges our previously held ...

Humans are captivated by the idea of finding life elsewhere in the universe – and even more by the idea that life, if found, might resemble the complex, animal life here on Earth. One of the easiest ...

Kali Holder, a veterinary pathologist at the National Zoo, is motivated by problem-solving and a passionate curiosity about nature. Image: courtesy of Kali Holder When an animal becomes endangered, it ...

This blog post addresses behavior across all animal species. It considers what we can learn about behavior when we do not limit our study to just humans. Studying nonhuman animal behaviors is ...

Imagine a world where the oxygen you need changes dramatically between day and night. Your world shifts from being rich in oxygen (oxic) in the day, so you have energy to hunt for food, to ...