Latest Selection Stories
New evidence proves humans are continuing to evolve and that significant natural and sexual selection is still taking place in our species in the modern world. Despite advancements in medicine and technology, as well as an increased prevalence of monogamy, research reveals humans are continuing to evolve just like other species. Scientists in an international collaboration, which includes the University of Sheffield, analyzed church records of about 6,000 Finnish people born between...
Study of simple organisms reveals preference for those who resemble themselves In a dog-eat-dog world of ruthless competition and 'survival of the fittest,' new research from the University of Leicester reveals that individuals are genetically programmed to work together and cooperate with those who most resemble themselves. A tendency for similar individuals to cooperate selectively with one another, even if they are not close relatives, can evolve spontaneously in simple organisms....
Think of them as a group of guys, hanging out together, but not spending much time with the ladies, nor getting much "action." Except these "guys" are forked fungus beetles. Forked what? Yes, forked fungus beetles. Like other insects and animals, they have their own societies. Most are highly social, but some hang out in small guy groups. It turns out, maybe not surprisingly, that the cliquish ones – the small groups of male beetles that live on the fringes of society with their...
Females influence the gender of their offspring so they inherit either their mother's or grandfather's qualities. 'High-quality' females – those which produce more offspring – are more likely to have daughters. Weaker females, whose own fathers were stronger and more successful, produce more sons. The study, by scientists at the University of Exeter (UK), Okayama University and Kyushu University (Japan), is published today (9 January) in the journal Ecology Letters. It shows for the...
News tips from the December issue of the American Naturalist Article Highlights from the December issue of The American Naturalist: Columbia River Salmon are Adapting to Climate Change Predators Keep Local Frogs In Uniform Can sexual selection's bizarre creations sometimes set evolution on a path to novel survival strategies? For the complete table of contents for the December issue, go to www.journals.uchicago.edu/an. Columbia River Salmon are Adapting to...
In the fight for survival, plants are capable of complex social behaviours and may exhibit altruism towards family members, but aggressively compete with strangers. A growing body of work suggests plants recognize and respond to the presence and identity of their neighbours. But can plants cooperate with their relatives? While some studies have shown that siblings perform best -- suggesting altruism towards relatives -- other studies have shown that when less related plants grow together...
Grim economic times could cause men to seek more sexual partners, giving them more chances to reproduce, according to research by Omri Gillath, a social psychology professor at the University of Kansas. Men are likely to pursue short-term mating strategies when faced with a threatening environment, according to sexual selection theory based on evolutionary psychology. When made to think about their own death, which mimics conditions of "low survivability," Gillath and his colleagues...
CHANHASSEN, Minn., June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The entrepreneurial spirit around the country is about to 'warm-up' and hit the gym. Peter Taunton, Founder and CEO of Snap Fitness, the world's fastest-growing franchisor of 24/7 express fitness centers, announces the launch of his "Partner with Peter" contest that will award one aspiring entrepreneur a free fitness franchise. Kicking-off June 15, 2011, contestants visiting www.petertaunton.com can enter to win by providing their contact...
The origins of rice have been cast in a new light by research publishing in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics on June 9, 2011. By reconciling two theories, the authors show that the domestication of rice occurred at least twice independently but with extensive "borrowing" between the two subspecies.Indica and japonica are, respectively, the southern and northern varieties of rice and they are major staple crops in Asia. Whether they share a single origin of domestication or were...
How females select their sexual partners is a matter of more than passing concern to a large number of males. Focus has gradually switched from the idea that certain males are the most attractive or the best and researchers are increasingly considering the idea that particular individuals might be intrinsically compatible. Dating agencies routinely include questions about potential partners' hobbies and interests. Such issues are clearly important but the latest results from the...
