#Evolution

A new wave of scientific analysis is dismantling one of the most popular defenses of meat consumption: the argument that humans are biologically obligated to eat meat because our ancestors did so. According to the latest findings reported in the recent article “The ‘We Evolved to Eat Meat’ Argument Doesn’t Hold Up” published by Nautilus and adapted from MIT Press, both the nutritional and evolutionary cases for compulsory meat eating fail to stand up to scientific scrutiny—and the environmental and health rationales are even less convincing.

A new examination of the claim that humans must eat meat because our ancestors did is reshaping how Thai readers view diet, health, and the environment. The analysis, adapted from an MIT Press-backed study and published in Nautilus, argues that both evolutionary and nutritional justifications for meat-heavy diets are weaker than once thought. Environmental concerns are underscored, making the debate highly relevant for Thailand’s public health and food policies.

For many in Thailand, this discussion matters beyond theory. Plant-based options are increasingly visible in Bangkok and Chiang Mai restaurants, while concerns about non-communicable diseases linked to red and processed meat grow. The piece challenges the idea that meat is an evolutionary imperative and explores how this belief shapes Thai cuisine, known for its balance of seafood, meats, and abundant vegetables.

A global debate on teaching Darwin’s theory persists in the United States, while the United Kingdom has moved toward broader acceptance. New research suggests the divide is not only about science; religion, identity, and psychology shape beliefs about human origins. For Thai audiences, the findings offer practical lessons on communicating science with cultural sensitivity.

The controversy in the United States traces back to the 1925 Scopes trial, a symbol of a broader cultural clash over education. Recent surveys show that acceptance of evolution varies by country. In 2020, Pew Research Center found that about 64% of Americans agreed humans and other living things have evolved, 18% did not, and many were unsure. In contrast, roughly 73% of Britons accepted common ancestry. These figures reflect different social dynamics and educational contexts.

Nearly a century after a Tennessee court trial ignited a national debate over whether schools should teach Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, Americans remain deeply split on the subject—even as much of the world, including the United Kingdom, regards the issue as largely settled. Recent research, as highlighted in a July 2025 article in The Conversation, reveals that this enduring divide is less about scientific evidence and more about the complex interplay of religion, identity, and psychological factors in shaping public beliefs about human origins (theconversation.com).

Recent research has highlighted some of the most perplexing mysteries of human anatomy that evolutionary science still grapples to explain, sparking animated discussions among biologists worldwide. While Darwin’s theory eloquently describes the gradual adaptation of organisms, certain quirky features of the human body—such as our unique chin or the puzzlingly intermediate size of male reproductive organs—still defy straightforward evolutionary rationales. A new article by a University College London professor, published by the BBC, summarizes current thinking and lingering questions, offering Thai readers a fascinating window into the ongoing detective work of evolutionary biology (BBC Future).

A fresh evolutionary science perspective sheds light on some of the body’s most puzzling features and the questions researchers are still pursuing. While Darwinian theory explains broad adaptation patterns, quirks such as the human chin and the nuanced size of male testicles invite ongoing study. A recent analysis summarized from a University College London piece and BBC Future offers current thinking and remaining gaps, providing Thai readers with insight into how scientists investigate our shared human past.

A recent article from Psychology Today has reignited scientific curiosity about déjà vu, that uncanny moment when a new experience feels eerily familiar—even when logic insists it shouldn’t be. This fleeting sense, known in French as “already seen,” has long puzzled neuroscientists and psychologists. Now, emerging research offers a richer understanding of déjà vu’s origins and its surprising role in human cognition, raising questions for Thai readers about how their own brains handle memory and experience PsychologyToday.com.

A recent piece in Psychology Today explores déjà vu—the uncanny sense that a new moment has happened before, even when logic says it shouldn’t. This brief sense, rooted in French as “already seen,” has long puzzled scientists. New research deepens our understanding of its origins and suggests a nuanced role in human cognition, with clear implications for memory and perception in daily life.

Most Thais will recognize déjà vu in everyday moments—strolling a busy Bangkok market or chatting in a crowded cafe—where a scene feels unexpectedly familiar. Scientists now argue it is more than a quirky glitch. Déjà vu reflects how memory processing works, illustrating both strengths and vulnerabilities in human perception.

A breakthrough set of studies published in Science in early 2025 shows that advanced intelligence on Earth evolved at least twice—once in mammals and once in birds. This challenges long-held ideas about the origins of cognition and has potential implications for neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and the search for intelligent life beyond humans. The reporting from Quanta Magazine and coverage in Wired help frame the significance of these findings.

Birds such as crows, ravens, cockatoos, and chickadees exhibit planning, tool use, problem‑solving, and impressive memory, despite brains that are very different from those of mammals and often much smaller. These abilities have long offered a window into how evolution crafts complex thinking in diverse neural architectures. For example, tool construction by some crows and the seed-cache memory of chickadees illustrate cognitive feats once believed possible only in larger-brained species.

In a major breakthrough that reshapes our scientific understanding of animal intelligence, a series of studies published in Science in early 2025 confirm that advanced intelligence on Earth evolved independently at least twice—once in mammals and once in birds. This finding, as reported by Quanta Magazine and summarized in Wired (wired.com), challenges longstanding assumptions about the origins of cognition in vertebrates and could hold profound implications for neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and the global search for intelligent life.

A new study led by researchers at the University of Leicester shows that some of the largest flying reptiles, pterosaurs, spent far more time on the ground than scientists previously believed. By examining fossilized footprints attributed to Quetzalcoatlus, a giant with a wingspan up to 10 meters, researchers have enriched our understanding of how these creatures lived alongside dinosaurs. The findings help Thai readers connect global paleontology with Southeast Asia’s own ancient landscape, enriching Earth history education in Thailand.

A groundbreaking study led by researchers at the University of Leicester has revealed that some of the largest creatures ever to soar the prehistoric skies, the pterosaurs, spent far more time on the ground than previously thought. Through extensive examination of fossilised tracks attributed to the giant Quetzalcoatlus, with wingspans reaching up to 10 metres (32 feet), scientists have now painted a richer picture of the behaviour and lifestyle of these flying reptiles that coexisted with dinosaurs hundreds of millions of years ago (BBC News).

A new international study shows how two human-specific genes contribute to brain development, offering clues about the evolution of the cerebrum’s complexity. Researchers from a leading German primate research center and a top molecular biology institute conducted the work. Published in March 2025, the findings illuminate brain evolution and suggest potential avenues for addressing developmental brain disorders.

The study describes a synergistic mechanism: one gene promotes the proliferation of brain progenitor cells, while the other guides these cells to become neuron-producing progenitors. This coordinated process is proposed as a driving factor in the evolutionary path that produced the sophisticated human brain. Beyond evolution, the research hints at new angles for understanding developmental conditions and neurological diseases, with possible therapeutic implications.