Biology News, Interviews and Columns From Quanta Magazine

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src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JOW-322-Bird-song-and-Speech_crPeterGreenwood-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="Singing bird in front of many chat bubbles" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/the-joy-of-why/">The Joy of Why</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/what-can-birdsong-teach-us-about-human-language-20241121/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> What Can Birdsong Teach Us About Human Language? </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a 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</div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>We often consider spoken language to be a feature that distinguishes humans from other forms of animal life. Brain research, however, suggests that other creatures — including certain birds — share some of our neural circuitry related to language. In this episode, co-host Janna Levin explores the origins and underlying mechanisms of human speech and birdsong with neurobiologist and geneticist Erich Jarvis. </p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/all-life-on-earth-today-descended-from-a-single-cell-meet-luca-20241120/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>All Life on Earth Today Descended From a Single Cell. Meet LUCA.</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Meet-Luca_crRobertNeubeker-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="" decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/origins-of-life/">origins of life</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/all-life-on-earth-today-descended-from-a-single-cell-meet-luca-20241120/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> All Life on Earth Today Descended From a Single Cell. Meet LUCA. </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/jonathan-lambert/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Jonathan Lambert</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>November 20, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/all-life-on-earth-today-descended-from-a-single-cell-meet-luca-20241120/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg 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height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/QA-Patrick-Cai_crDave-Phillips-Default-1.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="" decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/qa/">Q&A</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/hes-gleaning-the-design-rules-of-life-to-re-create-it-20241104/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> He’s Gleaning the Design Rules of Life to Re-Create It </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/shienkim/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Shi En Kim</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>November 4, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/hes-gleaning-the-design-rules-of-life-to-re-create-it-20241104/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' 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coordinating a global effort to write a complete synthetic yeast genome. If he succeeds, the resulting cell will be the artificial life most closely related to humans to date.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/meet-the-eukaryote-the-first-cell-to-get-organized-20241028/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>Meet the Eukaryote, the First Cell to Get Organized</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/EukaryoteExplainer-crKristinaArmitage-Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="An illustration shows a cell with its organs arranged by shape, as if in separate compartments." decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/explainers/">explainers</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/meet-the-eukaryote-the-first-cell-to-get-organized-20241028/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> Meet the Eukaryote, the First Cell to Get Organized </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/mollyherring/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Molly Herring</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>October 28, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/meet-the-eukaryote-the-first-cell-to-get-organized-20241028/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='142896 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=142896'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='142896' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>All modern multicellular life — all life that any of us regularly see — is made of cells with a knack for compartmentalization. Recent discoveries are revealing how the first eukaryote got its start.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='cws__divider'></div> <aside class='cws__sidebar fill-h mha'> <div class='topics-combo-box '> <h2 class='bold mv0'><span class='screen-reader-text'>Filter by </span>Topics</h2> <div class='input-wrapper'> <input placeholder='Search or select' class='placeholder-gray-808'> </div> <p> <a href='/topics'>View All Topics</a> </p> <ul class='hide overflow-x-scroll'> <li> <a href='/tag/ants'>ants</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/aging'>aging</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/animals'>animals</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/astrobiology'>astrobiology</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/bacteria'>bacteria</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/behavior'>behavior</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/biochemistry'>biochemistry</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/biodiversity'>biodiversity</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/biology'>biology</a> </li> <li> <a href='/tag/biotechnology'>biotechnology</a> </li> <li> <a 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</a> </h3> <div class="mb05 mt075 flex flex-items-center flex-justify-center"> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='/authors/jannalevin'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Janna Levin</span> </a> </div> <div class="h6 flex flex-items-center"> <span class="o-divider o-divider--horizontal ml05 mr1 relative"></span> <div class="comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center h6 theme__text theme__accent-hover"> <a class="flex flex-items-center pangram" href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-is-it-so-hard-to-define-a-species-20241024//#comments"> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-is-it-so-hard-to-define-a-species-20241024/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='142725 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=142725'></span> </div> </a> </div> </a> </div> <span class="o-divider mh075 relative"></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='142725' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="hero__card__excerpt h6 light mt1 pt075 pb1 pangram o6 wysiwyg"> <p>The idea of a species is fundamental to the way that many people understand the structure of life on Earth. But ask 10 specialists how they define the concept and you might get 10 answers. In this episode, co-host Janna Levin speaks with evolutionary biologist Kevin de Queiroz about what makes defining and delineating species such a slippery process, and why it matters to our understanding of both evolution and conservation. </p> </div> </div> <div class="shadow--radial absolute fit-b fit-l fill-h z0"></div> </div> </section> </section> </section> <section class='outer mv2 outer--content'> <div class='mha container--s'> <div class='archive__content'> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-human-brain-contends-with-the-strangeness-of-zero-20241018/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>How the Human Brain Contends With the Strangeness of Zero</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="520" height="292" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ZeroNeurosciene_crMaggieChiang_Default.webp" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="An illustration shows zero lit by spotlight; it flickers in a cave that looks like a brain." decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/neuroscience/">neuroscience</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-human-brain-contends-with-the-strangeness-of-zero-20241018/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> How the Human Brain Contends With the Strangeness of Zero </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/yasemin-saplakoglu/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Yasemin Saplakoglu</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>October 18, 2024</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-the-human-brain-contends-with-the-strangeness-of-zero-20241018/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='142492 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=142492'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='142492' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>Zero, which was invented late in history, is special among numbers. 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class='login__submit button orange' value='Send' disabled> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class='modal-portal hidden ' data-function='toggle' data-name='reset-password'> <div class='modal flex reset-password flex-items-start'> <div class='modal__overlay fixed inset-0 z-0'> </div> <div class='modal__content bg-white mha is-open is-visible relative size--small'> <div class='modal__close align-r pt1 pr1 absolute fit-r fit-t z10 transition--color theme__accent theme__text-hover'> <button class='px1' data-function='trigger' data-name='reset-password'> <svg class="icon inline-block" x="0px" y="0px" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xml:space="preserve"><title>Close</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M29.8,25l19.6,19.6l-4.8,4.8L25,29.8L5.4,49.4l-4.8-4.8L20.2,25L0.6,5.4l4.8-4.8L25,20.2L44.6,0.6l4.8,4.8L29.8,25z"></path></svg> </button> </div> <div class='reset-password-modal align-l'> <div class='reset-password-modal__inner'> <div class='noe h0 mt0 mb025'>Change your password</div> <p class='italic gray4 mt0'>Enter your new password</p> </div> <div class='reset-password-message'></div> <div class='modal__error fill-h px2 mb2 theme__accent bg-gray1 h5 pangram uppercase kern hidden'> <div class='reset-password-modal__inner'></div> </div> <div class='reset-password-modal__inner'> <form class='reset-password-form'> <div class='input-container'> <input type='password' name='new_password' id='new_password' value='' class='password' required> <label for='new_password' data-label='Password'>Password</label> </div> <div class='input-container'> <input type='password' name='new_password_verify' id='new_password_verify' value='' class='password-verify' required> <label for='new_password_verify' data-label='Retype new password'>Retype new password</label> </div> <input type='submit' class='login__submit button orange' value='Send' disabled> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <section class='modal-portal hidden ' 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