h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

not a transition but perhaps an example of science self correcting :

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/06/22/dinosaur_weight_revisionism/
""Paleontologists have for 25 years used a published statistical model to estimate body weight of giant dinosaurs. By re-examining data in the original reference sample, we show that the statistical model is seriously flawed," says Gary Packard of Colorado State University."

Is it ok to put a human genetics link in here?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/21/AR2009062101726_2.html?wprss=rss_nation&sid=ST2009062200350

basically saying that genetic deviation between populations isn't just a case of gaining or losing a gene for 'x' but rather lots of little changes to groups of genes. So the light skin modification is actually linked to a number of different genes - there isn't a single 'white' gene.

I thought this bit put it best:
"The short stature of rain-forest dwellers such as the pygmies of central Africa, for example, appears not to be the product of a single derived allele for shortness carried by virtually everyone in the population. Instead, dozens of gene variants that slightly decrease height have each become slightly more common, and it is their total effect that results in the group's dramatically shorter stature."

Interesting if not exactly shocking - will be surprise to some though

3new dino species
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8131915.stm

a new 'transitional' form currently in progress?
http://bytesizebio.net/index.php/2009/07/04/from-predator-to-plant-in-one-gulp/

"The story of a predator that, upon eating a certain food, suddenly becomes a peaceful plant. Sort of."

and the actual sciencemag article:
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/310/5746/287

"The story of a predator that, upon eating a certain food, suddenly becomes a peaceful plant. Sort of."

Cats and tuna?

Gif

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8137000/8137922.stm

Gif

Flowers:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8143000/8143095.stm

And the latest from Prof R Kipling: How the Turtle Got His Shell:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8142664.stm

Gif

blog post rather than news article but an interesting theory on miRNA and the cambrian explosion:
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/07/what_caused_the_cambrian_explo.php#more

sea urchins (or is that sea starfish?)

http://richarddawkins.net/article,4061,Missing-Link-Found-at-Stevns-Klint-in-Denmark,Politikendk

"The sea urchin turned out to be the first known fossile transition between two well known types of sea urchin, Tylocidaris Baltica and Tylocidaris Oedumi, and is therefore of very great scientific value"

Another Creationist favourite bites the dust:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8151000/8151644.stm

This one's looked wobbly for a long time (haven't they all?), but it looks like the evolutionary history of the Venus Flytrap has been clarified.

Gif

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8184396.stm

"Ancient fossilised, spider-like species have been imaged in 3D using thousands of X-ray scans and imaging software."

One for the anti-evolutionists: the mammalian appendix is functional, not vestigial:
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122544996/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Gif

NB: by 'vestigial' I don't mean non-functional, I mean 'the reduced remains of a former organ with a different function'. The paper states that the appendix itself evolved - twice!

that linky don't seem to like my computer.
Is it the one Pharyngula talks about here?
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/08/darwin_and_the_vermiform_appen.php

Yep, that's the one.

Gif

Of the numerous legal battles currently ongoing, this:
http://pandasthumb.org/archives/2009/08/the-latest-on-i.html
seems like one of the most interesting. The ICR has moved location, and thus requires re-certification to be able to award degrees. As I understand it, they tried to do this 'under the radar' via a friendly Creationist on the educational board, but failed and no longer have the power to award degrees. They are appealing the decision under 'equal treatment' terms.

Gif

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914111102.htm

Someone's been figuring out how at least one type of molecular machine in our cells evolved (or likely method thereof) - another 'irreducably complex' gone.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8259902.stm

Another transitional (of a sort).

Gif

new early bird fossils from China
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/sep/24/dinosaur-fossil-discovery-china

just the press release at the moment so shall have to wait for the presentation and reaction to see if they are all they are claimed to be. Rather intrigued by the idea one has 4 wings.

Interesting that these are older than archaeopteryx, which both makes them the oldest known feathers and renders obsolete a whole swathe of Creationist literature.

Gif