Oldest-known ancestor of modern primates may have come from North America, not Asia
About 56 million years ago, on an Earth so warm that palm trees graced the Arctic Circle, a mouse-sized primate…
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How ancient Mayan shell decor led to a new look at freshwater mussels south of the border
The ancient Maya are not particularly known for their love of freshwater mussels. Mathematics, maize, pyramids and human sacrifice, yes….
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Florida monarch butterfly populations have dropped 80 percent since 2005
A 37-year survey of monarch populations in North Central Florida shows that caterpillars and butterflies have been declining since 1985…
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Study provides road map for measuring animal, plant traits to meet global biodiversity goals
An international team of researchers has outlined a plan for how to measure changes in key traits of animals and…
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The walking dead: Fossils on the move can distort patterns of mass extinctions
Using the fossil record to accurately estimate the timing and pace of past mass extinctions is no easy task, and…
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DNA from shark tooth in boy’s leg used to ID species in bite incident
A small tooth fragment plucked from a 13-year-old boy’s leg after he was bitten by a shark off the coast…
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Two new truffle species discovered in Florida pecan orchards
Two new species of truffles were recently discovered on the roots of pecan trees in Florida orchards. The good news…
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Hollow trees host massive moth slumber parties
Unlike social insects such as bees and ants, moths are generally loners. So, when Florida Museum of Natural History lepidopterist…
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Moths with larger hindwings and longer tails are best at deflecting bats
Each night, dramatic aerial battles are waged above our heads, complete with barrel rolls, razor-sharp turns, sonar jamming, cloaking devices…
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Fossils show ancient primates had grooming claws as well as nails
Humans and other primates are outliers among mammals for having nails instead of claws. But how, when and why we…
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