luca:-our-last-universal-common-ancestor-#biology-#science

An interdisciplinary group applied the latest tricks of phylogenetics — using genes and genomes to build evolutionary trees — to trace all of modern life back to our shared ancestor. This ancient cell, or population of cells, is known as LUCA, which stands for “last universal common ancestor,” the oneContinue Reading

the-west’s-vanishing-porcupines

Scientists are racing to figure out why porcupines are disappearing from their former stomping grounds. The post The West’s vanishing porcupines appeared first on High Country News.Continue Reading

new-evidence-shows-the-maya-collapse-was-more-than-just-drought

Researchers studying Classic Maya cities discovered that urban growth was driven by a blend of climate downturns, conflict, and powerful economies of scale in agriculture. These forces made crowded, costly city life worthwhile for rural farmers. But when conditions improved in the countryside, people abandoned cities for more autonomy andContinue Reading