The Tree of Life proposed by Charles Darwin in the 19th century depicts different forms of life diverging from one another as they evolve down through successive generations. But discoveries of new life forms and the phenomenon of horizontal gene transfer indicate life can also evolve through convergence.
Great scientific discoveries often come from great scientific mistakes. That's the theme of the new book Brilliant Blunders, written by a NASA scientist who says he's all-too-familiar with the fallibility of scientists.
A team of scientists and Google mapmakers travelled to the Galápagos to retrace Darwin's steps and to capture a 360-degree Street View perspective of the islands. Raleigh Seamster, project director for Google Maps, describes the journey.
Researchers, in preliminary research, have found Botox might bring relief to patients suffering from depression or anger issues. Though Botox is typically used cosmetically and for a number of health issues, some hope this means it could be used for mental health reasons in the future.
Europe has a long history of searching for and cataloging its indigenous species. But, surprisingly, a number of species still went undiscovered. Now, there's a renewed effort to find the insects and other small creatures previously unknown — before humans unknowingly force them into extinction.
In Europe, home to history's greatest taxonomists, professional scientists and amateurs are scouring the countryside for new species — and finding them at an astonishing rate. Ari Daniel Shapiro of our partner program NOVA reports.
In studying anoles, Rosario Castaneda is looking at how animals evolve. There are more than 380 species of the lizards in the Americas, and diversity among them is incredible. Some are big, some are small; they're all evolved to fit their own habitat.
Brits are known for having a certain stiff upper lip. Keep Calm and Carry On and such. But recently, that stiff lip has, well, slackened. Take Andy Murray, who cried his way into British hearts during Wimbledon.
This port city in Tierra Del Fuego is sometimes called the southernmost city in the world.
The Galapagos Islands gave Darwin evidence to support his theory of evolution, but today, a growing number of people who call it home don't believe in evolution.
The Galapagos Islands may have inspired Charles Darwin to develop his theory of evolution, but today they are inhabited largely by creationists.