College students are taught EASY evolution


The modern synthesis is still the foundation of most college-level evolutionary biology courses, even though the extended evolutionary synthesis (EES) is a more recent and more comprehensive framework. There are a couple of reasons for this.

First, the modern synthesis  has a long history.

Second, the modern synthesis is relatively easy to understand. It can be taught in a relatively short amount of time, and it does not require a deep understanding of genetics or molecular biology.

The EES fundamentally challenges the basic principles of the modern synthesis.

Of course, there are also some drawbacks to emphasizing the modern synthesis in college courses. The modern synthesis is not as comprehensive as the EES, and it does not take into account some of the latest advances in evolutionary biology. As a result, students who only learn about the modern synthesis may not have a complete understanding of evolution.

In the future the EES will become more widely adopted in college courses. However, the modern synthesis will likely still be taught.

The Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) is more accurate than the Modern Synthesis (MS). The EES is a newer theory that incorporates more recent findings in evolutionary biology, while the MS is the older pregenomic theory. The EES makes some predictions that differ from the MS.

Here are some of the key differences between the EES and the MS:

  • The EES emphasizes the role of phenotypic plasticity in evolution. Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to its environment. The MS, on the other hand, focuses on genetic change as the primary driver of evolution.

  • The EES also emphasizes the role of developmental constraints in evolution. Developmental constraints are the limits on how an organism can develop due to its genes and its environment. The MS, on the other hand, assumes that organisms can evolve in any direction, as long as there is a genetic mutation that allows it.

  • Finally, the EES emphasizes the role of ecological factors in evolution. Ecological factors are the interactions between organisms and their environment. The MS, on the other hand, focuses on the interactions between genes and the environment.

The EES can be seen as an extension of evolution incorporating new findings and insights into evolutionary biology. It is probable that the EES will eventually replace the MS.

The megagenomic period (2000-2020) is challenging many of the assumptions of the Modern Synthesis. The Modern Synthesis is a theory of evolution that was developed in the early 20th century. It is based on the idea that evolution is driven by natural selection, which acts on genetic variation in populations. The megagenomic period refers to the recent advances in sequencing technology that have allowed scientists to sequence the genomes of entire organisms. This has revealed a much greater degree of genomic complexity than was previously known. For example, it has been found that many genes are duplicated or deleted, and that there is a lot of genetic variation that does not seem to be under the control of natural selection. These findings have led some scientists to question whether the Modern Synthesis can fully explain the evolution of complex organisms.

Some of the specific challenges to the Modern Synthesis that have been raised by the megagenomic period include:

  • The discovery of extensive genetic redundancy, which suggests that not all genes are essential for survival.

  • The discovery of widespread horizontal gene transfer, which suggests that genes can be transferred between organisms without the need for common ancestry.

  • The discovery of genomic conflict, which suggests that genes can compete with each other for expression, leading to a complex evolutionary dynamics.

These challenges have led some scientists to propose new theories of evolution that go beyond the Modern Synthesis. For example, the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis (EES) takes into account the role of non-genetic factors, such as epigenetics and environment, in evolution. The EES is still under development, but it has the potential to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how evolution works.

It is important to note that the Modern Synthesis is still embraced by many. However, the megagenomic period has revealed the limitations of the Modern Synthesis, and it has led to the development of new theories that may provide a more complete understanding of evolution.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beyond the Sequence: The Epigenetic "Fingers" That Play the DNA Keyboard

Image
Imagine the keyboard itself is not a standard piano keyboard, but a modular synthesizer, capable of producing an almost infinite array of sounds. The DNA sequence, then, represents the fundamental building blocks of this synthesizer, the raw materials from which all sounds are generated. Epigenetics, our "fingers," manipulates these building blocks, adjusting parameters like volume, timbre, and rhythm, transforming the raw potential of the DNA sequence into a symphony of cellular functions. We can further refine the "fingers" analogy. Consider that each finger represents a distinct epigenetic mechanism: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA.  DNA methylation, for instance, might be the "index finger," capable of precisely silencing specific genes, like muting individual keys on the synthesizer. Histone modifications, the "middle finger," could represent the ability to adjust the accessibility of the DN...
Read more

Why are Christian philosophers running towards Darwin while biologists are "running" away?

Image
As nature reveals the strength of epigenetics and the weakness of Neo-Darwinism, biologists are “running” away from the long-standing accepted theory. In The Federalist , April 2019, Benjamin Dierker reviews “Why one-third of biologists now question Darwinism”: "Current estimates are that approximately one-third of professional academic biologists who do not believe in intelligent design find Darwin’s Theory inadequate to describe all of the complexity in biology.” Dierker continues, “The important note is that these are not ideologues or religious zealots, nor do they propose a god or biblical solution.  Rather, they find problems in the lack of explanatory power of Darwin’s theory in light of modern understanding of mutation, variation, DNA sequencing and more. These expressions of doubt do not reject naturalism or evolution per se, but the rigor of the Neo-Darwinian model for explaining the development of life.” For 40 years, scientists calculated natural se...
Read more

Rewriting the Rules: Epigenomic Mutation Bias Challenges Randomness in Evolution

Image
This research challenges the long-held dogma that mutations occur randomly, irrespective of their consequences, by demonstrating a clear, epigenome-mediated mutation bias in Arabidopsis thaliana . The study meticulously unveils how mutation rates are not uniform across the genome but are significantly reduced in functionally constrained regions, particularly within gene bodies and essential genes. This discovery fundamentally alters our understanding of evolutionary processes, suggesting that mutation is not a purely directionless force. "Mutation bias reflects natural selection in Arabidopsis thaliana" This opening statement encapsulates the core finding: mutation rates are not random but reflect epigenetic pressures. The authors demonstrate that mutations are less frequent in crucial genomic regions, directly contradicting the prevailing theory of random mutation. This observation suggests an active mechanism that minimizes deleterious mutations in essentia...
Read more