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The Lasting Effects of Adversity in Rhesus Macaques
May. 6, 2026—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Many factors influence growth and reproductive patterns in animals and people alike. New research, led by postdoctoral researcher Rachel Petersen of the Lea Lab at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø and Assistant Professor Sam Patterson of Notre Dame University, shows that adversity experienced during development may be an important factor to consider....
Museum Studies: Curiosity as Common Ground
Mar. 31, 2026—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator In fall 2026, Evolutionary Studies member and associate professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Neil Kelley and History of Art and Architecture senior lecturer Susan Dine began teaching a new Museum Practice course. The course offers a focused, immersive, case- and project-based intro to museum practices and is...
91³Ô¹ÏÍø Postdoc Kate Snyder Uncovers How Boundaries and Bonds Build Bird Song
Feb. 25, 2026—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Female song is far more widespread in songbirds than many people realize, occurring in about two thirds of songbird species, and new research is reshaping how scientists understand its evolution. Using large-scale species-level datasets collected on songbird behaviors, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Nicole Creanza and her lab...
91³Ô¹ÏÍø Researchers Show Some Anaerobic Bacteria Have Surprisingly High Mutation Rates
Feb. 17, 2026—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Ask any biologist what causes DNA mutations, and oxygen will likely make the shortlist. It is reactive, super-abundant, and has been fingered as a major culprit in genetic damage for decades. So, here is a head-scratcher: if oxygen is such a DNA troublemaker, bacteria that avoid it entirely...
Evolutionary Studies Initiative Receives NIH Training Grant for Computational Evolutionary Approaches to Disease
Dec. 5, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator In July 2025, the Evolutionary Studies Initiative at 91³Ô¹ÏÍø secured its first initiative-wide grant to train the next generation of biomedical scientists. The grant funded through the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences T32 Training Program, provides funding for two graduate students annually...
Giant Ground Sloth Extinction Led to Loss of Ecological Services
Oct. 22, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Giant ground sloths were more than just Ice Age oddities. They were ecosystem engineers whose disappearance reshaped the landscapes they once roamed. A new study from 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s DREAM Lab reveals just how diverse these megaherbivores’ diets were, highlighting the ecological roles that vanished when they went extinct....
City Lights Are Rewriting the Calendar: 91³Ô¹ÏÍø Researchers Show Artificial Light Extends Urban Growing Seasons
Sep. 23, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator City lights are rewriting the calendar. A new global study from 91³Ô¹ÏÍø researchers Lin Meng and Huidong Li shows that artificial light at night is more powerful than temperature in extending urban growing seasons — keeping trees greener longer, with consequences for carbon cycling, frost risk, and even...
91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative Honored with 2025 Friend of Darwin Award
Jun. 4, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) has named 91³Ô¹ÏÍø’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative (ESI) as one of its 2025 recipients of the prestigious Friend of Darwin award. This national honor recognizes ESI’s outstanding contributions to advancing public understanding of evolution through interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach. Directed...