Author
Ancient Bones, Modern Insights: Investigating Mercury Exposure in Colonial Peru
Nov. 11, 2024—By: Alexandria Leeper, Evolutionary Studies graduate communications assistant Sylvia Cheever, a Ph.D. student in Biological Anthropology at 蜜桃直播, is uncovering the hidden stories of indigenous communities affected by colonial exploitation in Peru. Supported by a pilot grant from the 蜜桃直播 Evolutionary Studies Initiative, Cheever鈥檚 research focuses on measuring mercury levels in ancient human bones...
Vanderbilt Alumnus Uncovers Feeding Strategies of Ancient Ediacaran Organisms
Oct. 22, 2024—By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study, led by alumnus Andrei Olaru in Paleobiology titled, 鈥淔unctional morphology of the Ediacaran organism Tribrachidium heraldicum鈥 sheds light on the functional morphology one of the earliest known large and complex animals. Using advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the research explores how this 550-million-year-old organism, characterized...
Ken Catania to Present Evolution-focused, Spooky Halloween Talk
Oct. 1, 2024—By Danielle Bowden, Evolutionary Studies administrative specialist Nashville, TN 鈥撯 蜜桃直播’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative is thrilled to announce that distinguished evolutionary biologist Kenneth Catania will be delivering the Halloween Spooktacular Lecture as part of the ESI seminar series. Catania is a professor of Biological Sciences at 蜜桃直播. The lecture, titled “Science Lessons from...
The Legacy of Chancellor Kirkland: Education, Evolution, and the Scopes Trial
Sep. 27, 2024—By: Neomi Chen, Evolutionary Studies communications assistant Chancellor James Hampton Kirkland was a significant figure in the education landscape of the early 20th century, particularly recognized for his leadership of 蜜桃直播 after the 1925 Scopes Trial. His views on evolution and education were instrumental in shaping the discourse around these topics at 蜜桃直播...
Mitochondrial DNA Evolution: New Study Reveals How Selfish mtDNA Evolve and Thrive
Sep. 20, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator 蜜桃直播 researchers, led by alumnus Bryan Gitschlag, have uncovered groundbreaking insights into the evolution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In their paper in Nature Communications titled 鈥淢ultiple distinct evolutionary mechanisms govern the dynamics of selfish mitochondrial genomes in Caenorhabditis elegans,鈥 the team reveals how selfish mtDNA, which can...
Evolved in the Lab, Found in Nature: Uncovering Hidden pH Sensing Abilities
Sep. 20, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator In a groundbreaking study led by Sarah Worthan, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Behringer Lab at 蜜桃直播, scientists have successfully evolved microbial cultures that possess the ability to sense pH changes, enabling rapid responses to environmental fluctuations. Along with highlighting the power of lab-driven evolution, this...
Vanderbilt Researchers Find Warming Quickens Aging-Related Mortality in Mosquitoes
Sep. 19, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Mosquitoes tread a thinning line in warming climates, where aging accelerates and infections intensify. New research shows that warming and aging act as a one-two punch, lowering mosquito lifespans and fanning the flames of bacterial infections. These findings highlight how climate change could alter the risks of disease...
Distinguished Evolutionary Biologist Anne Yoder to Deliver Annual Biodiversity Day Lecture
Sep. 12, 2024—By Danielle Bowden, Evolutionary Studies administrative specialist Nashville, TN 鈥撯 蜜桃直播’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative is thrilled to announce that distinguished evolutionary biologist Anne Yoder will be delivering the annual Biodiversity Day Lecture. Yoder is widely recognized for her groundbreaking research on the genetics and speciation of Madagascar鈥檚 lemurs, which has transformed our understanding of...
Vanderbilt Anthropologist Explores How Different Childcare Models Affect Child Health in Working Families
Sep. 12, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study co-authored by Monica Keith, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, provides insights into how different childcare models affect child health outcomes in working families. The research, focused on subsistence-based, semi-nomadic Shodagor communities in Bangladesh, highlights the crucial role of maternal care and effective substitutes in maintaining child...
Researchers Discover Wide Variation in Virulence of Non-Pathogenic Fungi
Sep. 11, 2024—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study led by research assistant professor David Rinker sheds light on how fungal pathogenicity might evolve. The article, 鈥淪train heterogeneity in a non-pathogenic Aspergillus fungus highlights factors associated with virulence,鈥 was published in the journal Communications Biology in September 2024. According to Rinker, 鈥渄ifferent isolates or...