Genome-scale data and the development of novel statistical phylogenetic approaches have
greatly aided the reconstruction of a broad sketch of the tree of life and resolved many of its …

Evolution is a blind fitting process by which organisms become adapted to their
environment. Does the brain use similar brute-force fitting processes to learn how to …

Ctenophores are gelatinous marine animals famous for locomotion by ciliary combs. Due to
the uncertainties of the phylogenetic placement of ctenophores and the absence of some …

Cephalopod and vertebrate neural-systems are often highlighted as a traditional example of
convergent evolution. Their large brains, relative to body size, and complexity of sensory …

Highlights•Solving nervous system evolution requires cross-species comparison of neuronal
types.•Neuronal types are commonly defined by their specific structure and function.•We …

Evolutionary changes in human brain structure and function have enabled our specialized
cognitive abilities. How these changes have come about genetically and functionally has …

The evolutionary origin of the nervous system has been a matter of long-standing debate.
This is due to the different perspectives taken. Earlier studies addressed nervous system …

Social monogamy, typically characterized by the formation of a pair bond, increased
territorial defense, and often biparental care, has independently evolved multiple times in …

The survival of all species requires appropriate behavioral responses to environmental
challenges. Learning is one of the key processes to acquire information about the …

Trichoplax adhaerens is a small, ciliated marine animal that glides on surfaces grazing upon
algae, which it digests externally. It has no muscles or nervous system and only six cell …