evolution

Aug 22, 2025

Family Webs May Capture Evolutionary Change Better Than Family Trees

Historically, family trees have been used to describe evolutionary processes. But the era of big data has ushered in the use of arguably a more apt description: webs of life. 

Oct 18, 2023

Study Elucidates Evolution of Mosquitoes and Their Hosts

Study creates a mosquito family tree to better understand disease transmission and host choice. 

Oct 10, 2023

How Does Constant Evolution Keep Species Stable?

Brian Langerhans talks about a new study that could offer answers to evolution's "stasis paradox." 

Aug 13, 2019

Not Just Genes: Environment Also Shaped Population Variation in First Americans

Genes and environment drove population divergence in first Americans. 

Jun 17, 2019

How Dogs Evolved ‘Puppy Dog Eyes’

Researchers have discovered the secret of "puppy dog eyes." 

Jan 21, 2016

Evolutionary Clock Ticks for Snowshoe Hares Facing Climate Change

NC State research shows a mismatch in coat colors is deadly for snowshoe hares. Will they be able to adapt in time? 

Dec 19, 2013

The Origin of Flowers: Tree Experts Help Unravel Evolutionary Mystery

NC State scientists had a hand in a massive research project highlighted in Science that sheds light on how flowering plants suddenly came into prominence more than 200 million years ago – what Charles Darwin referred to as an “abominable mystery” of evolution. A team of scientists sequenced the genome of Amborella trichopoda, a rare plant… 

Nov 8, 2013

Nothing to See Here

“Blend in” appears to be the mantra for male Bahamas mosquitofish that live near predators. After all, fish with brighter, more colorful fins or patches are more conspicuous – and standing out with predators around could be a death sentence. So these fish evolve duller colors under the threat of predation, to try and hide… 

Aug 14, 2013

My Color Patch Is Shinier Than His

Evolutionary biologists have long suspected that intense competition for mates may speed up the formation of new species, but it has been difficult to find evidence of this effect. In a new paper, NC State biologist Carlos Botero, co-author Nathalie Seddon and colleagues report that bird populations accumulate differences in their physical appearance more quickly if… 

Aug 3, 2012

Geological Changes Spurred Dino Diversity

New duck-billed and horned dinosaur species in western North America evolved at a blistering pace between 70 and 80 million years ago – blistering by evolutionary standards, of course, which means that new species appeared over spans of hundreds of thousands of years rather than millions of years. Later this species growth appears to weaken,… 

May 7, 2009

Underpinnings of Science

NC State's Insect Museum holds a collection of 1.4 million insects. 

Apr 2, 2009

Thank God for Darwin

Harvard Divinity School has offered NC State student John Coggin a full scholarship to pursue a master’s degree there.