An in-depth analysis reveals that for each identified vertebrate species, there may be two others, nearly identical in ...

New fossil evidence from China suggests that some of our vertebrate ancestors had four eyes. The study, published in Nature, takes a closer look at a structure found in multiple 518 million-year-old ...

A major new discovery is shedding light on the early origins of vertebrates. Fossils of some of the oldest known bony fish, found in China, have revealed key details about the evolution of bones, ...

Humans tend to put our own intelligence on a pedestal. Our brains can do math, employ logic, explore abstractions and think critically. But we can’t claim a monopoly on thought. Among a variety of ...

Researchers report February 15 in the journal Cell that ancient viruses may be to thank for myelin—and, by extension, our large, complex brains. The team found that a retrovirus-derived genetic ...