How the zebra got its stripes is not only a just-so story, but an object of scientific inquiry. New research suggests that stripes help zebras evade biting flies and the deadly diseases they carry.
Articles on Zebra stripes
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There are a number of reasons why zebra’s stripes are useful to a zebra. The key question is: could some of them benefit society?
The evolutionary driver for zebras’ black-and-white stripes has been identified as biting flies, including horseflies and…
Zebras’ stripes have baffled biologists since Charles Darwin. Many hypotheses have been proposed regarding their purpose but, despite hundreds of years of study, there remains disagreement. In an attempt…
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Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol
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Assistant Adjunct Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles
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Associate Professor of Sensory and Evolutionary Ecology, University of Exeter
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Research Fellow in Biological Sciences, University of Bristol