Topic

Convergent Evolution

The independent appearance of similar body forms or traits in unrelated lineages that face comparable environmental pressures.

Current clusters

science1 publisher

Ichthyosaurs evolved a fish-shaped body like whales, but with unexpectedly dense, heavy ribs

Thin sections from two ichthyosaur fossils and two toothed whales in Oslo found the extinct reptiles' ribs nonporous where a porpoise's and a beluga's are hollowed out, which points to two routes to one shape.

Publishers:phys.org

Reality

Evidence60
Adoption: Insufficient
Hype gap+18
Incentives58
Confidence55

science4 publishers

Four ancient genomes reassign the 'American cheetah' to the puma branch

Three Yukon fossils and one from Wyoming place Miracinonyx trumani beside the puma rather than the cheetah. Nitrogen isotopes put the northern animals near the top of a fish food chain far above the old known range.

Publishers:discovermagazine.comphys.orgsciencedaily.comsciencenews.org

Perspective Coverage

4 publishers

Builder: Builder 45%
Operator: Operator 30%
Investor: Investor 25%

Reality

Evidence72
Adoption22
Hype gap+18
Incentives62
Confidence74