Evolution is not only about competition: the cellular origins of a very big idea
If the competitive nature of existence ever gets you down, you might want to consider one leading theory of how complex life came to emerge in the first place. The endosymbiotic theory of mitochondrial origin (also known as symbiogenesis) is one of the leading theories for the development of eukaryotes – the nucleus-containing cells that are the building blocks of all multicellular organisms. According to the theory, narrated here by the biologist Rob Lue of Harvard University, it was a symbiotic partnership between two primitive cells that allowed them to thrive, develop organelles for specialised tasks, and eventually give rise to complex new lifeforms. In other words, cooperation was key – and it remains so today.
videoMathematics
After centuries of trying, we’ve yet to arrive at a perfect way to map colour
20 minutes
videoAnimals and humans
One man’s quest to save an orphaned squirrel, as narrated by David Attenborough
14 minutes
videoBiology
Butterflies become unrecognisable landscapes when viewed under electron microscopes
4 minutes
videoBiology
‘Save the parasites’ may not be a popular rallying cry – but it could be a vital one
11 minutes
videoEvolution
The many ways a lizard tongue sticks, grasps, pinches and plops – in slo-mo
6 minutes
videoBiology
Starlings swoosh like brushstrokes across the sky in this dazzling short
3 minutes
videoEcology and environmental sciences
The tree frog die-off that sparked a global mystery – and revealed a dark truth
15 minutes
videoEcology and environmental sciences
GPS tracking reveals stunning insights into the patterns of migratory birds
6 minutes
videoNeuroscience
This intricate map of a fruit fly brain could signal a revolution in neuroscience
2 minutes