Evolution

Living robots: Xenobots made from frog cells can self-replicate in a dish by pulling cells into clumps

by

Swarms of tiny “xenobots” can self-replicate in the lab by pushing loose cells together – the first time this form of reproduction has been seen in multicellular organisms Life 29 November 2021 By Carissa Wong Swarms of tiny living robots can self-replicate in a dish by pushing loose cells together. The xenobots – made from … Read more

New dinosaur: Armoured herbivore had a tail shaped like a fern frond

by

Stegouros elengassen, unearthed in Chile, had a strange flattened tail that looked like a fern frond – a feature never seen before in an ankylosaur dinosaur Life 1 December 2021 By Chen Ly An artist’s impression of Stegouros elengassen Lucas Jaymez A new species of ankylosaur found in Chile had a unique tail unseen in … Read more

Why the myth of ‘wilderness’ harms both nature and humanity

by

Humans have affected every aspect of life on Earth – from hunting prehistoric beasts to changing the climate – and the illusion that pristine nature still exists undermines our efforts to make a better world, says environmental writer Emma Marris Earth 1 December 2021 A Hakea tree stands alone in the Australian outback during sunset. … Read more

Omicron: How do we stop coronavirus variants from evolving

by

By Michael Le Page Artist’s rendering of the delta variant of the coronavirus Shutterstock / Fit Ztudio We are witnessing the scenario that many people feared unfold before our eyes. The new omicron variant can largely evade prior immunity and is spreading with alarming rapidity. And the really bad news is that there is every … Read more

How changing levels of iron shaped the evolution of life on Earth — and why alien hunters should take note

by

This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Hal Drakesmith, Professor of Iron Biology, University of Oxford Jon Wade, Associate Professor of Planetary Materials, University of Oxford Our red blood is full of iron. We need iron for growth and for immunity. It is even added … Read more

Evolution Gym Sculpts Novel Robot Bodies and Brains

by

Roboticists often copy nature, crafting humanoid robots for household chores, worm-style machines for crawling through tunnels and four-legged contraptions that look like cheetahs for running and leaping. But they usually design an animal-like robot body first and then train an AI to control it. In living creatures, though, the body and brain evolve together to … Read more