In natural populations, the mechanisms of evolution do not act in isolation. This is crucially important to conservation geneticists, who grapple with the implications of these evolutionary processes ...

Giraffes are often used as textbook examples of adaptive evolution, with their elongated necks, specialized cardiovascular systems, and distinctive coat patterns representing striking outcomes of ...

A major evolutionary theory says most genetic changes don’t really matter, but new evidence suggests that’s not true. Researchers found that helpful mutations happen surprisingly often. The twist is ...

The researchers identified regions with Neandertal ancestry in over 300 individuals. They assessed sharing of segments, inferred gene flow, and looked at variation to identify candidates for positive ...

ANN ARBOR—For a long time, evolutionary biologists have thought that the genetic mutations that drive the evolution of genes and proteins are largely neutral: they're neither good nor bad, but just ...

The recombination between parental chromosomes, a characteristic of sexual reproduction, plays a crucial role in evolution. In mammals, a protein called PRDM9 is essential for this process. In a paper ...

Songbirds who make the arduous flight from their nesting sites in northern boreal forests to warm, southern climates in the winter may be rewarded for their journey with greater genetic diversity.

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine previously found a set of human gene mutations that protect older adults against cognitive decline and dementia. In a new study, ...