Tag Archives: Biological Evolution

BEACON Researchers at Work: Studying the evolution of sociality with real and digital hyenas

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work blog post is by MSU postdoc Aaron Wagner. The evolution of sociality is one of the most fascinating and productive topics in evolutionary biology. Though it is often very useful to look to social … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: How the cricket lost its song

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work post is by MSU postdoc Robin Tinghitella. Last April I had the pleasure of writing the very first BEACON Researchers at Work blog post. I shared a story about how a tropical field cricket, … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Deciphering Avian Aromas

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work post is by BEACON Managing Director Danielle Whittaker. The sense of smell is one we often take for granted in our own lives. However, even though we may not be conscious of it, odor … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Experimenting with predation

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work blog post is by MSU graduate student Michael DeNieu.  The Dworkin lab is like a certain popular energy drink…it gives you wings. There’s a wide range of topics ongoing in the lab spanning functional … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Effects of rapid environmental change on evolution

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work blog post is by University of Washington postdoc Jenna Gallie. Life has existed on Earth for nearly four billion years. Given that organisms have been evolving continuously, why are they still not perfectly adapted … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: How do geckos stick to the wall?

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work post is by University of Idaho graduate student Travis Hagey. I am a fourth year grad student in Dr. Luke Harmon’s lab at the University of Idaho. My thesis looks at how geckos (and … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Making synthetic viruses to study evolution

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work blog post is by University of Idaho postdoc Martina Ederer. After working on many different projects in a number of different labs, I always seem to come back to the study of evolution. Hence, … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Experimental co-evolution in a virus and its host

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

A bonus Wednesday blog post! Today’s BEACON Researchers at Work post is by MSU graduate student Justin Meyer. For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by the natural world. Whether it is the chameleon with its … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Hyena Poop Patrol

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s BEACON Researchers at Work post is by MSU graduate student Andy Booms. For the past few months I’ve been searching Kenyan protected areas for spotted hyenas and their poop, which I collect. Each time I arrive at a … Continue reading →

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BEACON Researchers at Work: Spatial patterning in microbial communities

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Danielle Whittaker

This week’s blog post is by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center postdoc Babak Momeni. Synthetic communities may help us understand the biology of natural microbial communities. Microbial communities in nature are abundant, with amazing diversity and huge impact on life … Continue reading →

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