Behind the Paper
The real stories behind the latest research papers, from conception to publication, the highs and the lows
Filtered by: Ecology & Evolution
The fuxianhuiid story, or the inner workings of a paradigmatic science
Did the peer-review process become a fortress of favoured paradigms?
Were humans responsible for Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions in South America?
The central role of humans in the Quaternary megafaunal extinctions in South America have been little considered by archaeologists. Based on temporal and spatial distributions of megafauna and Fishtail spear points, we propose that humans were the main (not the unique) factor driving the collapse.
A metric for spatially explicit contributions to science-based species targets
We know that there are a great many species at risk of extinction, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of action needed to conserve them. Where do we start tackling the pressures that are threatening these species, and encourage as many sectors as possible to act?
A machine-learning approach to phylogenetic tree inference
The following two fields have barely interacted before: artificial intelligence and molecular evolution. To demonstrate proof of concept, we established a machine-learning-based framework that substantially boosts tree-search algorithms, without compromising accuracy!
A timeframe for human evolution
A precise timeframe for human evolution is fundamental to contextualise key events that occurred during the evolution of our lineage. Our new phylogenetic study dates specific speciation events and provides important insights into body mass and encephalization trends in human evolution.
