A collaborative study from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and other institutes, found that agamid lizards display rapid colour change in different contexts, including thermoregulation, communication, and stress. The massive range of colours in these species opens up new questions on the whys, hows, and whens of this colour change.

A team of scientists from the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Bengaluru, has discovered that mutations not only provide genetic variation but also actively influence evolution, aiding organisms in adapting to new environments. Their study on E. coli revealed that altering mutation biases can lead to a greater number of beneficial mutations, providing new insights into evolution.

Streptophyte algae are considered the ancestors of land plants who shared habitats with primitive microbes. However, scientists have been intrigued by how the algae developed mechanisms to evolve as land plants and survive the soil conditions below the ground. In this exciting study, a team of researchers reveal the crucial role primitive microbes could have played in the evolutionary process of land plants.

Emerging dominant strains of the coronavirus are a cause of concern as they impact the course of the pandemic, prompting scientists to track the mutation patterns of the virus closely. In this collaborative study, an analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 global genomic database revealed the trends of point-mutations occurring in the virus.

The Hemidactylus geckos have evolved into several distinct species in the Indian peninsula, some of which often show up as uninvited guests in our houses. Researchers at the Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (CES-IISc) have shown that differences in morphology among species of ground-dwelling geckos can indicate changes in the past climate of peninsular India.

If you are moaning about how difficult it is to get that special someone to like you, spare a thought for the natural world where stepping out in flamboyance might mean risking your life. Through a creative series of experiments, a group of ecologists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, has investigated whether male and female tree-crickets face an equal risk of getting attacked by predators while searching for the perfect mate.

DNA from fossilized ostrich eggshells in India closely matches that of present day ostriches in Africa