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Some monkeys in Panama may have just stumbled into the Stone Age

Some monkeys in Panama may have just stumbled into the Stone Age

2 July 2018

One group of capuchins uses stone tools, but neighbouring groups do not – suggesting primates - including us - might enter the Stone Age simply by chance


Titi monkeys

An extinct monkey evolved to live like a sloth in the Caribbean

12 November 2018

Jamaica was once home to a sloth-like monkey – now we know it was a strange descendant of South America’s titi monkeys that adapted to island life


Andy Serkis in Neanderthal make-up

Can CGI finally convince us that Neanderthals were smart?

14 May 2018

We still see Neanderthals as dim, ape-people despite mounting evidence of their intelligence. Can a CGI makeover with Andy Serkis help transform their image?


Ant on a small plant

Ants have evolved to farm plants on at least 15 separate occasions

10 November 2022

Many species of tree-living ants cultivate plants that grow on trees either for food or shelter, but there is a debate over whether the practice should be considered agriculture


AMELAND. Common Seal - Gewone Zeehond - Phoca vitulina. AMELAND BEACH. DUTCH.; Shutterstock ID 667436896; purchase_order: 22 April online; job: Photo; client: NS; other:

Harbour seals can learn how to change their voices to seem bigger

29 April 2022

The vocal gymnastics of harbour seals, including the ability to significantly raise or lower their pitch, seem not to be down to anatomy but learning from one another


Gray Wolf; Shutterstock ID 715342429; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Our Human Story newsletter: The patterns of domestication

11 November 2021

Why did ancient humans begin to domesticate animals? Plus, a new hominin species has been named – but it may not stick


Eximipriapulus reconstruction

Penis worms had hermit crab-like defence system 530 million years ago

8 November 2021

More than half a billion years ago, tiny penis worms had learned to protect themselves by grabbing and living inside snail-like shells, like hermit crabs do today


chromosomes

A species of yeast produces near-identical clones when it has sex

4 May 2021

Saccharomycodes ludwigii is a sexually reproducing species, but it doesn’t mix up its genes before it mates – which means offspring end up being almost identical to the parents


Toxic beetle’s genetics reveals how evolution makes new organs

Toxic beetle’s genetics reveals how evolution makes new organs

25 May 2021

Rove beetles have glands in their abdomen that secrete a toxin, and they are made up of just two cell types that evolved together – which may be how other animal organs originated


beautiful White-handed Gibbon (Hylobates lar) sitting on ground; Shutterstock ID 569449837; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

Male and female gibbons sing duets in time with each other

11 January 2023

Lar gibbons call out sounds that are synchronised and occur at regular intervals – a combination of rhythmic qualities that, until now, had only been seen in people