NeoDarwinian Review

"The theoretical biologist Waddington, father of epigenetics, coined the term "COWDUNG" to refer to the Co nventional W isdom of the D ominant G roup. He argued that COWDUNG can be a major obstacle to scientific progress, as it can lead to the suppression of new ideas and the uncritical acceptance of old ones." "The issue at stake,” says Arlin Stoltzfus, an evolutionary theorist at the IBBR research institute in Maryland, “is who is going to write the grand narrative of biology. And underneath all this lurks another, deeper question: whether the grand story of neo darwinism is a fairytale we need to finally give up?" - Do we need a new theory of Evolution Here are many reasons why scientists hold on to Neo-Darwinism even though they suspect it's wrong: Because it is the dominant paradigm. Neo-Darwinism has been the prevailing theory of evolution for over a century, and it is taught in schools and universities around the world. As a result, ...

Preadaptation is an evolutionary term that refers to a trait that originally evolved for one purpose but later became useful for another purpose. This can happen when an finds itself in a new environment or when the environment changes. For example, the feathers of birds originally evolved to keep them warm, but they later became useful for flight. The wings of bats also originally evolved for flight, but they now help with echolocation. Preadaptation can be a powerful force of evolution, as it allows organisms to adapt to new environments quickly. It is also a reminder that evolution is a process of trial and error, and that organisms are constantly evolving to meet the challenges of their environment. Here are some examples of preadaptation: The feathers of birds, which originally evolved to keep them warm, later became useful for flight. The wings of bats, which also originally evolved for flight, are now used for echolocation. Bats emit high-pitched ultrasonic calls fro...

Article: Exploring the Expanse Between Theoretical Questions and Experimental Approaches in the Modern Study of Evolvability" by Jeremy A. Draghi . Evolvability is the ability of a population to evolve new traits and adaptations. It is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, but it has been difficult to study empirically. This is because evolvability is a complex property that is influenced by many factors, including the genetic variation of a population, the environmental conditions in which it lives, and the nature of the evolutionary challenges it faces. Despite these challenges, there has been significant progress in the study of evolvability in recent years. This progress has been driven by advances in both theoretical and experimental approaches. On the theoretical side, researchers have developed new models and frameworks for understanding the factors that influence evolvability. On the experimental side, researchers have developed new techniques for meas...

Epigenetic Variations are More Substantial than {neodarwinian} Genetic Variations in Rapid Adaptation of Oyster to Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome by JANAN GAWRA , 2023 Introduction Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS) is a highly contagious and deadly disease that has caused significant mortality in oyster populations worldwide. POMS is caused by a virus, the ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1), which infects the oyster's nervous system and gills. There is no effective treatment for POMS, and the only control measure is to remove infected oysters from the population. POMS has emerged as a major threat to the oyster industry, and understanding how oyster populations can adapt to this disease is essential for developing effective management strategies. Adaptation to POMS can occur through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. NeoDarwinian genetic adaptation involves changes in the DNA sequence (random mutations) of individuals that make them more resistant to the disease. Epigen...

Neo-Darwinism is the modern synthesis of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection with Mendelian genetics and other scientific advances. It is still widely accepted…for now. However, there are numerous  things that we used to think were right with Neo-Darwinism that we now know are wrong. Here are 15 examples: 1. Evolution is a gradual process. We now know that evolution can occur in rapid spurts, e.g., punctuated equilibrium.  2. Natural selection is the only driving force of evolution. We now know that other factors, such as genetic drift, gene flow, and epigenetics play a dominant role.  3. Mutations are always random.  We now know that  mutations are largely guided (biased) and can lead to new adaptations.  4. Genes are the only units of heredity. We now know that epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, play a major role in inheritance.  5. Fossils provide a complete record of evolution. We now kno...

Homology is the relationship between two or more structures that share a common evolutionary origin. Neo-Darwinian homology is based on the idea that homologous structures are derived from a common ancestor through natural selection. Homoplasy is the similarity between two or more structures that do not share a common evolutionary origin. Homoplasy can be caused by a variety of factors, including convergent evolution, parallel evolution, and mimicry. Homoplasy challenges Neo-Darwinian homology in a number of ways. First, it shows that homologous structures are not necessarily the result of natural selection. Second, it shows that similar structures can arise from different evolutionary origins. Third, it can make it difficult to determine the evolutionary relationships between different groups of organisms. Here are 10 specific ways in which homoplasy challenges Neo-Darwinian homology: Convergent evolution: Convergent evolution is the process by which different groups of or...