With climate change and more frequent extreme weather events, researchers predict that global yields of important crops like maize, rice, and soybeans could decline by 12 to 20% by the end of the century. To prepare, plant scientists are hoping to find ways to improve yields and grow hardier varieties of these crops. New insights into the genetic makeup of wild varieties of common crops show how domestication has changed crop traits over time and proposes a new cultivation method to improve genetic diversity.

A newly published study in PLOS ONE, Morphodynamic Foundations of Sumer,challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of urban civilization in ancient Mesopotamia, suggesting that the rise of Sumer was driven by the dynamic interplay of rivers, tides, and sediments at the head of the Persian Gulf. The research is led by Liviu Giosan, Senior Scientist Emeritus in Geology & Geophysics at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), and Reed Goodman, Assistant Professor of Environmental Social Science at Baruch Institute of Social Ecology and Forest Science (BICEFS), Clemson University.

The move raised concerns about harmful mutations and genetic swamping — or loss of unique traits. However, a recent study co-authored by UCF Assistant Professor of Biology and Genomics and Bioinformatics faculty cluster member Robert Fitak, found that since the introduction, genetic variation has significantly improved; unique traits have been retained; and harmful mutations, while still present, are largely masked by the restored genetic variation.

Five of six Channel Island fox subspecies evolved larger brain-to-body ratios than mainland gray foxes. The findings challenge long-held beliefs that island species evolve smaller brains and reduced cognitive function. The larger brains may reflect a trade-off — conserving energy elsewhere to adapt cognitively to tough environments. 

The world’s largest carnivorous bat has a surprisingly rich social life, displaying affectionate greetings and providing food to family group members, according to a study by Marisa Tietge at Museum für Naturkunde - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science in Germany, and colleagues, publishing August 20, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One.

California's dwarf Channel Island foxes mostly have relatively bigger brains than their larger mainland gray fox cousins, which may reflect island-specific evolutionary pressures