Living World

#91: Unmasking Earth’s First Life


Paleontologists discover what may be the oldest fossilized bacteria ever found, but questions remain. 12.22.2011

#85: Meet the Grazing Hominid


Researchers discover the so-called "Nutcracker man" ate mostly plants, diverging from fellow primates. 12.22.2011

#80: Neanderthal DNA Boosts Your Immune System 


Did early matings with Neanderthals increase our ability to fight disease? 12.22.2011

#77: Amber Reveals Origins of Feathers


Stunning feathers show up in fossil-rich rocks. 12.22.2011

#74: Meet the Megavirus


Scientists find the world's largest virus. 12.22.2011

#68: Tools Imply Early African Exodus


A newly discovered cache of stone tools in the United Arab Emirates suggests that early humans left Africa earlier than we'd thought. 12.22.2011

#67: Gamers Solve HIV Riddle


Computer geeks figure out the shape of AIDS-related virus in 10 days. 12.22.2011

#63: How Many Species Inhabit the Earth?


It's a tough question, but we now have the best answer yet. 12.22.2011

#61: Aging Effects 
Reversed in Mice


Eliminating dying cells keeps a mouse healthy, wealthy, and wise. 12.22.2011

#51: Stone Age 
Art Studio Unearthed

Early humans were able to plan and knew more about chemistry than we'd thought. 12.22.2011

#49: Arsenic-Based Life Shakes Up Science (Again)

Rosie Redfield takes scientific controversy out into the open. 12.22.2011

#48: Strongest Repellent Found


A new compound is 100,000 times stronger than DEET. 12.22.2011

#43: Skin Cells Could Help Revive Rare Species

Turning them into eggs and sperm, courtesy of stem cell techniques, could make all the difference. 12.22.2011

#18: Genome of Vegetables Remains Active After You Eat Them


microRNAs from rice survive digestion and alter human gene expression. 12.22.2011

Scrapes, Granaries & Bowers: The Wide World of Avian Architecture

Bird nests can be simple or elaborate, as small as a hazelnut, or enormous, weighing several tons. They can last a few weeks or a century, and can be isolated or one among a half million of similar nests. 11.21.2011

The Bug With Built-in Sidekicks

Meet the animal kingdom’s version of a Russian nesting doll. 11.21.2011