Geneticist and entrepreneur Adrian Woolfson argues that genome engineering and AI will let us design organisms beyond nature’s limits ...

Most of us know that as living things evolve, they take on traits that help them thrive in their home environments. But how are certain traits "chosen" for future generations, and how are others cast ...

The common view of natural selection is based solely on the individual: A trait allows an organism to out-compete its rivals and is thus passed down to its offspring. To suggest otherwise can provoke ...

Have you ever wondered why our universe is made up of something rather than nothing? It can hurt your brain if you think about it too much because if there were nothing you would have no brain—no you ...

The peppered moth is an iconic example of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. For centuries peppered moths (Biston betularia) were common in the forests around Manchester, ...

The beautiful male emerged in October, eager to mate but destined for disappointment because he emerged too late in the season, just an example of natural selection at work I received an invitation to ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American My evening plan to read Harry Potter for the ...