early giraffe relative at the bottom and modern giraffes at top
“Necks for Sex” May Explain Giraffes’ Distinctive Anatomy 
An analysis of skull and vertebrae fossils suggests that an early relative of giraffes butted heads to compete for mates, which may reveal why modern giraffes are so throaty.
“Necks for Sex” May Explain Giraffes’ Distinctive Anatomy 
“Necks for Sex” May Explain Giraffes’ Distinctive Anatomy 

An analysis of skull and vertebrae fossils suggests that an early relative of giraffes butted heads to compete for mates, which may reveal why modern giraffes are so throaty.

An analysis of skull and vertebrae fossils suggests that an early relative of giraffes butted heads to compete for mates, which may reveal why modern giraffes are so throaty.

ABOVE: WANG Yu and GUO Xiaocong
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mammalian evolution
Photo of a North American caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Jasper National Park in Canada
Dozens of Genes Tied to Caribou’s Seasonal Migration
Maddie Bender | May 2, 2022
Researchers tracked the movements of endangered caribou and sequenced a portion of their genomes to determine which genes may influence migratory behavior.
Fossils of African Fauna
African, Arabian Mammals Didn’t Escape Grande Coupure Extinction
Chloe Tenn | Nov 8, 2021
More than two-thirds of mammals in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula went extinct during the Eocene-Oligocene transition some 30 million years ago, a study finds.
Image of the Day: Dog-Faced Bats
The Scientist Staff, The Scientist Staff | Jan 31, 2018
The discovery of two new species within the Cynomops genus has expanded the total known number of dog-faced bat species to eight. 
Mammalian Jaws Evolved to Chew Sideways
Catherine Offord | Jun 1, 2017
Parallel evolution in jaws and teeth helped early mammals diversify their diets.