Biology

Nigel Goldenfeld applies the physics of condensed matter to understand how evolution sprinted for the earliest life — and then slowed down.

"Organoid" brain tissue models grown in a lab for two years can help scientists study a critical period of development just before and after birth.

Hybrids, once treated as biological misfits, play a vital role in the evolution of many animal species. Now conservationists are trying to reconcile that truth with policies.

If DNA repair makes useful mutations more likely, it could accelerate cells’ adaptations to harsh environments.

To create a good living replica of the human brain, your best hope may be to let “organoid” components assemble it for you.

Species gain and shed startling amounts of DNA as they evolve, and even genomes that look stable churn furiously. What does it mean?

Take chemistry, add energy, get life. The first tests of Jeremy England’s provocative origin-of-life hypothesis are in, and they appear to show how order can arise from nothing.

Hydrodynamics and competition guide the architectural design of biofilm fortresses.

Mathematical insights into how RNA helps viruses pull together their protein shells could guide future studies of viral behavior and function.