Carl Zimmer

The Loom

Essay Contest: In Darwin's Footsteps

A Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) resting on a coconut palm on the island of Fiji in the South Pacific. The four species of iguanas that inhabit Fiji and Tonga today are descended from ancestors that colonized the island within the past 34 million years, probably by rafting 5,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean from western North America. (Image Credit: Nicholas Hess)

The Fiji iguana Brachylophus vitiensis

Learn more about Fiji’s iguana species and how they likely used natural rafts to float to Fiji some 34 million years ago. 

Iguanas Floated 5,000 Miles to Colonize Fiji Millions of Years Ago

This is a reconstruction of the prehistoric mammal Spinolestes in the Cretaceous-period Las Hoyas wetland. This image is not associated with the current study but demonstrates a dark-furred mammal from the Mesozoic Era. (Image Credit: Oscar Sanisidro) 

Prehistoric Mammal Spinolestes in the Cretaceous-Period Las Hoyas Wetland 

A discovery about the dark fur of early mammals confirms long-held theories about their evolutionary and ecological behavior.

Prehistoric Mammals' Dark Fur Was Key to Survival

A hamster-sized primate from Madagascar, the fat-tailed dwarf lemur is our closest genetic relative known to hibernate. They also tend to live longer than you’d expect given their size. New research reveals a potential anti-aging mechanism within their cells. (Image Credit: David Haring, Duke Lemur Center)

What lemurs can teach us about healthy aging

Discover how hibernating lemurs turn back time on a molecular level, helping scientists better understand cellular aging.

Dwarf Lemurs Combat Aging During Hibernation by Reversing Their Cellular Clocks

Essay Contest: In Darwin's Footsteps

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