Research
High standards of female songbirds could be driving their mates to evolve
September 4, 2019—Picky females force male songbirds to become better singers.
Rare study of Earth-sized planet uses technique pioneered by Vanderbilt professor
August 19, 2019—A groundbreaking study, using data from NASA and a technique pioneered by a Vanderbilt professor, is giving humankind a glimpse at a distant exoplanet with a size similar to Earth...
Rokas to lead budding cross-disciplinary collaboration on evolutionary studies
August 14, 2019—The Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative seeks to position the university as a global leader in evolutionary studies by engaging a large group of scholars who share this research interest.
Behavioral science models can help identify the greenest dietary changes
August 9, 2019—Spreading the gospel of veggie-only diets may not be the most effective way to help reduce overall, food-related greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new model based on behavioral science....
Intense look at La Brea Tar Pits explains why we have coyotes, not saber-toothed cats
August 5, 2019—The most detailed study to date of ancient predators trapped in the La Brea Tar Pits is helping Americans understand why today we’re dealing with coyotes dumping over garbage cans...
When legislatures can and can’t check executive powers
July 29, 2019—The largest analysis of gubernatorial executive orders to date reveals important nuances that explain how and when legislatures can constrain executive power.
The momentum myth: Staggering primaries didn’t affect outcome of 2016 nominating contests
July 29, 2019—During the 2016 primary season, voters didn't shift their preferences based on who was winning, according to an analysis of more than 325,000 tracking poll results.