Our Family Tree

Developing embryos reveal secrets about both genetics and the odyssey of life on Earth.

Why do males expend such time and energy to find a mate? Because of a little force of nature known as sexual selection.

How come dogs, alone among Earth's species, come in so many shapes and sizes?

Harvard's Andrew Knoll discusses the deeply mysterious jump long ago from non-living to living.

Bert Roberts of Australia's University of Wollongong answers viewer questions about Homo floresiensis.

The remains of three-foot-tall humans are discovered on a remote Indonesian island.

In this short video, NOVA's Paula Apsell explains the reasons for making “Intelligent Design on Trial.”

See how salamanders in California are evolving, just as Darwin might have predicted.

Science is "Exhibit A" in a landmark trial on the teaching of evolution.

Surprising fossils from northeastern China spur a debate over how birds evolved.

An overview of the history of life on Earth, from the earliest bacteria to the first modern humans

In this game, change the environment of "living" things and see how random mutations help them survive.

The bones of chimps, early human ancestors, and modern people reveal what it takes for us to walk upright.

Explore hypotheses for why we stand up, choose your favorite, then hear what paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson thinks.

Some genes turn other genes on and off. In this slide show, see how powerful these gene switches can be.

Biologist Maydianne Andrade says that the gruesome mating behavior of some spiders is a lesson in evolution.

From flu to food—hear five researchers discuss how evolution affects your day-to-day life.