Jonathan Lambert

For many, evolution boils down to a simple phrase: survival of the fittest. Within a population, individuals vary in their ability to survive and reproduce, and the winners of this competition shape the next generation.

Saber teeth — the large canines — are pretty fearsome. These fangs have evolved at least five times in predators that are now extinct, but there's been something of a mystery as to why.

Doug Burgum encourages voters to support Donald Trump during a campaign rally in January 2024 in Laconia, N.H. Burgum ran against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination but later dropped out and endorsed him.

Doug Burgum, former North Dakota governor and businessman is President Donald Trump's pick to be Secretary of the Interior. The confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thurs., Jan 16, 2025.

Imagine the tree of life. The tip of every branch represents one species, and if you follow any two branches back through time, you'll hit an intersection. If you keep going back in time, you'll eventually find the common ancestor for all of life. That ancestor is called LUCA, the last universal common ancestor, and there is no fossil record to tell us what it looked like. Luckily, we have Jonathan Lambert. He's a science correspondent for NPR and today he's talking all things LUCA: What we think this single-celled organism may have looked like, when it lived and why a recent study suggests it could be older and more complex than scientists thought. Have other questions about ancient biology? Email us at [email protected] — we'd love to hear from you!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

Trump says Americans should look to the stars, by sending astronauts to Mars.

A new analysis suggests saber teeth were highly specialized for puncturing prey, ultimately at the cost of durability.

A new analysis suggests saber teeth were highly specialized for puncturing prey, ultimately at the cost of durability.

President Trump vowed to send astronauts to Mars during his second inaugural address. "We will pursue our Manifest Destiny into the stars," he said, promising to send astronauts to plant the American flag on Mars.

Chimpanzees in Monarto Safari Park South Australia. A new study finds in captive chimpanzees, peeing is contagious