Latest news with #evolution
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Outback discovery rewrites understanding about ‘common' creature
Researchers have discovered an isolated group of possums living in Western Australia are part of a locally extinct population that once roamed the Red Centre. Separated from other possums, the group found around the Pilbara and the Midwest have become smaller overall, grown larger ears, developed a thinner tail, and become less furry to cope with the heat. Lead researcher and Edith Cowan University PhD candidate, Shelby Middleton, said they could one day evolve into their own subspecies because they are now isolated. 'They are showing differences in the way they look, and will not be mixing with other populations because they don't have any gene flow anymore,' she told Yahoo News Australia. Although these possums appear visually different, the population is actually the same subspecies that lives on the east coast and South Australia. This means its ancestors once had a range that extended over 3,000km across the continent to Melbourne and Sydney. Sadly, the population has become isolated because the introduction of cats and foxes by European settlers killed them off in central Australia. It's hard to imagine how different Australia looked 250 years ago, when the centre would have been teeming with life. Another small marsupial, the greater bilby, once covered 80 per cent of the continent, but it is now threatened with extinction. Previously, it had been thought that the population of brushtails in the Pilbara and Midwest was the same subspecies as those in Perth and the southwest. But they had simply evolved to appear visually similar because they lived in a similar environment. But after Middleton and her team partnered with the Western Australian Museum and Department of Biodiversity, they linked its genetic material to the east coast subspecies. This was done using preserved museum specimens and roadkill collected by locals in the regions being studied. Prior to the research, there was only one other subspecies known to exist in Western Australia, the smaller northern brushtail, which is found in the Kimberley. Trichosurus vulpecula arnhemensis exists in the Kimberley and the Top End. Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus exists in southwest WA, Barrow Island, and Broome. Trichosurus vulpecula vulpecula exists in Pilbara, Midwest, the east coast and South Australia, While populations of brushtails in the east remain stable, some in the west are gradually declining. The Pilbara is continuing to develop industrially, with the federal government approving a new fertiliser plant for the region last year, and an extension of Woodside's North-West Shelf fossil fuel extraction program last week. 🚨 Rare fish linked to dark legend on windswept Tasmanian beach 🏝️ Late-night beach find highlights sad side of Queensland tourism 😡 Anger erupts as Indigenous site 'totally destroyed' in violent act Traditionally, new projects have had to evaluate their impact on threatened species, but not those believed to be abundant. They are also probably overlooked at sites when construction is being undertaken. 'We need to increase awareness so mining companies take more notice of brushtail possums when they do see them,' Middleton said. 'We've got a lot to learn about this population in the Pilbara and Midwest because it's been previously overlooked. We don't completely know their range. We know they exist in some small populations, but outside of towns we don't know where they are.' The research is published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
Ancient aquatic origins of echidnas revealed by Australian scientists
A team of Australian and international scientists believe many of the echidna's unusual traits were developed millions of years ago when its ancestors lived in the water. This is based on the results of a study announced in April. Echidnas and the semi-aquatic platypus are believed to have evolved from a common ancestor called Kryoryctes cadburyi that lived in Australia more than 100 million years ago. Echidnas and platypuses are monotremes, a rare group of mammals that lay eggs instead of live young. Palaeontologist Suzanne Hand said that echidnas had fragile bone walls that made it easier to walk on land. Hand is a palaeontologist at the University of New South Wales. This shows that echidnas came from an ancestor living in water but evolved to live on land. It was far more common for prehistoric mammals to go from land to water, Hand said, pointing towards seals, whales, dolphins and dugongs. Echidnas have hind feet that point backwards. That helped them move lots of soil when burrowing. Hand said that the echidna's ancestor might have first used these feet like rudders to move through fast water. Echidnas also have a 'diving reflex' when they go underwater. This tells their body to conserve oxygen to help them hold their breath for longer. Agence France-Presse
Forbes
3 days ago
- General
- Forbes
This 'Flying' Snake Can Leap Off Trees And Glide Distances Of Over 300 Feet — A Biologist Explains
Snakes are typically regarded as land-dwelling creatures. But in the forests of southern Asia, a ... More remarkable lineage has taken to the sky. Snakes have long captured human imagination, symbolizing everything from danger to wisdom. Yet, among the roughly 4,000 species slithering across our planet, only one genus has conquered the air: Chrysopelea. Commonly called flying or gliding snakes, they have evolved a unique adaptation: they can leap from tree branches and control their descent, covering horizontal distances of up to 100 meters (328 feet) in a single glide. This aerial prowess transforms dense tropical forests into three-dimensional playgrounds, granting them access to prey and escape routes otherwise inaccessible. Of the five species in the genus, the golden flying snake (Chrysopelea ornata) is perhaps the most striking. Its iridescent green and gold scales, cross-hatch patterns and red-dotted morphs make it one of the most visually stunning snakes in its range. Yet its appeal is more than skin-deep: this snake embodies an extraordinary evolutionary solution to arboreal life, combining powerful musculature, keeled scales adapted for climbing and neuromuscular coordination to achieve controlled 'flight.' Native to South and Southeast Asia, the golden flying snake ranges from India and Sri Lanka through Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, southern China and Singapore (where it has been introduced). It thrives in lowland rainforests, mangroves and even human-altered landscapes — it's frequently spotted in coconut palms, thatched roofs and garden foliage. Golden flying snakes are excellent climbers, and take their arboreal skills a step further with the ... More ability to glide between trees. Measuring up to 4.2 feet (130 cm), these snakes have a robust, slightly flattened body with pronounced keeled ventral scales that aid climbing. Their heads are broad with large eyes that are optimized for diurnal vision. Equipped with rear-fangs and a mildly toxic venom, C. ornata subdues its prey — which consists of lizards and other small vertebrates — primarily in diurnal ambushes. Its large eyes and fast strikes make finding and catching prey an easy task, while the ability to glide between perches expands its hunting grounds and enhances survival. (Sidebar: Most snakes, like Asia's flying snakes, are solitary creatures — but not all. Earlier this month, 75,000 snakes swarmed a small Canadian town. Find out why here.) The golden flying snake bears two main color morphs — a green-yellow form sports bold black streaks and occasional reddish dorsal spots, and another form where the same base hues are overlaid with subtler crossbars. These patterns help the snake blend seamlessly into the surrounding foliage. Anatomy of a flying snake (Chrysopelea) in motion. Cross-sections show the body at rest (top) and ... More mid-glide (middle), with a full-body depiction of the snake in flight (bottom). Unlike true flyers, flying snakes "glide" by flattening their body and creating a U-shaped concavity along their ventral surface, increasing aerodynamic drag to convert a vertical drop into horizontal travel. To initiate flight, it anchors its tail, propels its head forward and then releases to dive. Muscular contractions flatten the body cross-section from circular to highly depressed, forming a wing-like airfoil. The initial thrust, combined with body flattening, generates sufficient lift for sustained gliding. Mid-air, C. ornata executes lateral undulations — wave-like body motions — that fine-tune lift and direction. By varying the amplitude and frequency of these undulations, they can adjust the glide angle and even turn toward targeted landing spots. Some studies suggest that launching from tree cavities or branches at specific angles further optimizes its glide performance. Researchers have recorded glides exceeding 328 feet (100 m) from heights of 100 feet (30 m). Such distances rival gliding mammals like flying squirrels, all without the aid of limbs or patagia. Molecular studies have suggested that Chrysopelea's gliding evolved once in the genus's common ancestor, roughly 20 million years ago. The genus currently comprises five recognized species — C. ornata, C. paradisi, C. pelias, C. rhodopleuron and C. taprobanica — distributed from India and Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia and the Indonesian archipelago. C. paradisi and C. ornata are two of the more well-known snakes in the genus. The former, which goes by the paradise tree snake, is noted for gliding even more efficiently than C. ornata, often launching from taller canopies in Borneo and the Philippines. C. taprobanica, or the Sri Lankan flying snake, on the other hand, is endemic to Sri Lanka and parts of southern India. It displays light brown scales edged in black with darker crossbars, resembling forest-dappled sunlight — an adaptation that provides camouflage in dense foliage. These incredible snakes exemplify how relatively simple modifications can unlock entirely new modes of life and will continue to inspire biomimetic designs in engineering and robotics. Does the thought of snakes gliding through the air at frightening speeds fill you with dread? You may have zoophobia, an intense and persistent fear of certain animals. Take this test to find out how to manage its impact on your life: Fear Of Animals Scale
WIRED
5 days ago
- Health
- WIRED
Hummingbirds Are Evolving to Adapt to Life With Humans
May 29, 2025 5:00 AM Anna's hummingbirds have evolved to have longer, larger beaks to access backyard feeders in urban areas. It could be a step toward becoming a 'commensal' species that lives alongside humans, like pigeons. A hummingbird drinking nectar from a feeder. Photograph: LAP/GETTY IAMGES Some species of hummingbird are adapting to urban life by undergoing evolutionary changes in their anatomy, influenced by the proliferation of artificial drinking fountains. According to some biologists, this might show that these birds are on their way to becoming commensal with humans—benefiting from living closely alongside them—like pigeons have in urban areas. A recent study found that the size and shape of the beaks of Anna's hummingbirds ( Calypte anna ), a species native to North America, have changed. A hummingbird's beak is naturally long and slender in order to access nectar located in deep inside flowers. However, in recent decades, the beaks of urban Anna's hummingbirds have evolved to be significantly longer and larger to better access sugar-laced drinking fountains installed outside of homes, which have proliferated in urban areas. This adaptation suggests that these feeders offer hummingbirds more food than nectar-filled flowers. The study, which looked at reported sightings of the birds as well museum specimens from the past 160 years, also found that males are developing sharper, more pointed beaks, possibly to compete with other hummingbirds for access to these sugar-filled fountains. Populations of these hummingbirds expanded northward in California at the same time as the establishment of urban centers where feeding could take place. The researchers discovered that the population density of Calypte anna has also increased over time, and found that this appears to be linked to the proliferation of feeding fountains and nectar-producing eucalyptus trees, both of which were introduced to the region by humans. These morphological changes to the hummingbirds have occurred rapidly. According to the study, Calypte anna populations in 1930 were very different from those in 1950, when the birds' bills had already begun to grow. In just 20 years, equivalent to about 10 generations of these birds, evolution left its mark, the authors note. To conduct the research, the team used sighting data for the species in all 58 Californian counties between 1938 and 2019, in addition to analyzing specimens preserved in museums. They also turned to old newspaper advertisements to estimate the number of feeders in use during the last century. Finally, they developed a computational model to predict hummingbird expansion, taking into account assisted feeding and the presence of eucalyptus trees. An Anna's hummingbird in flight.'They seem to be moving where we are going and changing quite rapidly to succeed in their new environments. We can think of the Anna's hummingbird as a commensal species, similar to pigeons,' says Nicolas Alexandre, coauthor of the study and a geneticist at Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology and de-extinction company based in Dallas, Texas. Hummingbird feeders or drinkers use sugar water to attract hummingbirds and provide food during seasons when flower nectar is scarce. According to the journal Science, one of the oldest records of these devices dates back to 1928, although they were probably in use much earlier. In general, they do not pose a risk to the species, as long as they are cleaned regularly to avoid the proliferation of bacteria and fungi that can affect hummingbirds. Another species of bird, the common pigeon ( Columba livia ) has also adapted to living in cities. Pigeons can be found in urban spaces around the world, taking advantage of the plentiful nesting sites and food that cities have to offer. They exist in urban environments without having a significant impact on human activities, this being a clear example of commensalism, where one species gains advantages by linking with another without directly harming it. Columba livia originally inhabited rocky areas of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. However, it was domesticated more than 5,000 years ago as a source of food and due to its excellent sense of direction, which meant the birds could be used for carrying written messages. As a result, many were released into new habitats, with some choosing to live in cities, becoming part of the urban fauna. Today, they are one of the most common birds in the world. This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
The surprising science behind the colour of your eyes - and what it reveals about your personality
A viral TikTok video has revealed the remarkable science and deep symbolism behind eye colour - suggesting your eye shade might say more about you than you think. The clip, posted by user @snappybits2, explores how brown, blue and green eyes are shaped not only by biology but by history and light itself. According to the video, brown eyes are caused by a high concentration of melanin - the pigment responsible for colouring the skin, hair and eyes. In the iris, melanin acts as a shield that absorbs light rather than scattering it. 'Brown eyes pull light inward,' the narrator of the video explains. 'This is why brown eyes seem deeper, darker and more grounded.' The earliest humans had brown eyes, having evolved near the equator where the sun was most intense. 'Melanin wasn't just pigment. It was protection. Brown eyes were nature's built-in sunglasses, filtering out UV rays and reducing glare long before Ray Bans existed.' Today, over 70 per cent of the global population has brown eyes - a striking reminder of their evolutionary significance. The video describes the colour as 'not just a colour, but a legacy'. Culturally, brown eyes are often associated with warmth and reliability, but they've also been viewed as 'mysterious, serious, even intimidating.' This, it claims, is because 'brown eyes are hard to read. They don't change with the light. 'They don't flash with emotion the way lighter eyes sometimes do. They absorb rather than reveal.' But under certain lighting - low sun, candlelight, late afternoon haze - something remarkable can happen. 'Brown eyes start to glow… amber, honey, liquid gold,' the narrator continues. 'It's the melanin, again, scattering light just enough to reveal what's been hiding underneath 'In those moments, they feel ancient, like they're not just seeing you, they're remembering you. Unlike brown, blue eyes contain almost no melanin at all. Instead, what we perceive as blue is actually an optical illusion created by light scattering through layers of transparent iris tissue, a phenomenon known as Rayleigh scattering. 'There's no blue pigment inside the iris,' the narrator explains. 'What you're seeing is the light scattering through layers of tissue. 'It's the same reason the sky looks blue and sunsets bleed orange.' Every blue-eyed person on Earth, around 8 per cent of the population, shares a common ancestor. 'They trace their eye colour back to a single genetic mutation that occurred 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, somewhere near the Black Sea, in one human.' The mutation, found in the OCA2 gene, limited melanin production in the iris. 'Suddenly the eye didn't absorb light anymore, it scattered,' the video says. 'That one mutation spread from person to person, generation to generation, until millions now carry the glitch.' The result is eyes that aren't truly blue, but instead 'the colour of light's confusion.' Green eyes are the rarest of all, seen in just 2 per cent of the global population, making them less common than red hair or even being born with 12 fingers. They're described as a 'chemical contradiction, a perfect storm between biology and light'. To achieve green eyes, the body must produce just the right balance of melanin and a yellowish pigment called lipochrome, along with the scattering effect of light. 'Most people have too much melanin and their eyes come out brown. Some people have almost none, and their eyes appear blue,' the narrator explains. 'But green eyes need just enough melanin to darken the iris and just enough lipochrome to tint the light that bounces off it.' The video calls green eyes 'a rendered illusion so delicate that the smallest tweak in pigment breaks the effect entirely.' And they don't stay the same. 'Green eyes don't sit still. They shift in different lights - gold, jade, moss, steel. 'They look calm in the shade, then snap with energy and sunlight, like they've got a secret loaded behind the iris waiting to be triggered.' Green eyes, it says, are 'unstable beauty, an optical accident.' Whether a product of melanin's shielding power, a 10,000-year-old genetic glitch, or a collision of pigment and light, your eye colour might be revealing more about you than you ever realised.
