evolution
Why fighting gives lefties the upper hand in evolution
We’re celebrating International Left Handers Day – a day human evolution and natural selection dictates should not exist. And yet it does. We find out why.
When Doctor Who came to Jodrell (and UoM’s other sci-fi hits)
Did you know that without mathematicians, the entire Universe would crumble and decay into nothing? At least, that’s according to a classic episode of Doctor Who (our School of Mathematics colleagues are good, but even they’re not holding-together-the-very-fabric-of-the-Universe good). Logopolis is the final instalment in the adventures of the Fourth Doctor, played by the legendary […]
Manchester’s most important brain
The University of Manchester has an impressive track record when it comes to computer science. After all, this is where the world’s first stored-program computer, Baby, was created. And in the year that Baby turns 70, our scientists have given birth to yet another marvel of computing. Last week, the one-millionth processor core of this […]
Why ‘Phantom’ Archaeopteryx discovery has scientists in a flap
Since its discovery 150 years ago, scientists have heralded Archaeopteryx as the ‘missing link’ in the evolution of dinosaurs to modern birds. A transitional fossil, the species was commonly referred to as Urvogel – meaning “first bird”. But as is so often the case, once something reaches such lofty heights, it’s human nature to want […]
The bone of contention in the evolution of vertebrates
It takes backbone to try and tackle one of the age-old mysteries of the evolution of life, but a researcher at The University of Manchester has proven he’s certainly not too spineless to take on the challenge. Just like close to ten per cent of all life on Earth, we humans are vertebrates – meaning […]
Baby bird proves big deal to palaeontologists
A tiny bird that was smaller than your little finger and lived the briefest of lives has proven itself a giant of fossil history. The chick in the picture below may look like a character from a Disney remake of Walking With Dinosaurs, but this little chap has provided us with a valuable insight into […]
Why dolphin culture really is some-fin else
The intelligence, culture and social relationships of whales and dolphins are so advanced, the only thing stopping them from building an underwater city is opposable thumbs. That’s the finding of the latest research from The University of Manchester, in collaboration with The London School of Economics (LSE) and Stanford University. The study, published this week […]