Evolution ignored Waddingtons Epigenetics


"It is doubtful, however, whether even the most statistically minded geneticists are entirely satisfied that nothing more is involved than the sorting out of random mutations by the natural selective filter." - Conrad Waddington, father of Epigenetics, Letter to Nature journal the year the Modern Synthesis was released in '42

Conrad Waddington's ideas about epigenetics were largely ignored by the architects of the modern synthesis, which is the prevailing theory of evolution today. There are a few reasons for this.

Waddington's ideas were ahead of their time. He was one of the first scientists to propose that the environment can play a role in gene expression, and that these changes can be inherited by subsequent generations. This was a radical idea at the time, as most biologists believed that genes were the sole determinants of the phenotype.

Waddington's ideas were not compatible with the prevailing view of evolution. The modern synthesis is based on the idea of natural selection acting on genetic variation. Waddington's ideas about epigenetics suggested that the environment could also play a role in evolution, which was not widely accepted at the time.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in epigenetics. This is due to the development of new experimental techniques that have allowed scientists to study epigenetics in more detail. As a result, Waddington's ideas are now being taken more seriously by biologists.

It is still too early to say whether Waddington's ideas will be incorporated into the modern synthesis. More likely the modern synthesis will be bypassed. However, his work has laid the foundation for a new understanding of evolution that takes into account the role of the environment.

Here are some additional thoughts on why Waddington's epigenetics was ignored by the modern synthesis:

  • The modern synthesis was largely influenced by the work of Theodosius Dobzhansky and Ernst Mayr, who were both strong proponents of genetic determinism. They argued that genes are the sole determinants of the phenotype, and that the environment plays only a minor role.

  • Waddington's ideas about epigenetics were seen as a threat to this view. They suggested that the environment could have a significant impact on gene expression, and that these changes could be inherited by subsequent generations. This was a radical idea at the time, and it was not widely accepted by the scientific community.

  • Waddington's work was also difficult to understand. He used complex mathematical models and terminology that was not familiar to most biologists. This made it difficult for his ideas to be communicated and understood.

Despite these challenges, Waddington's work has had a lasting impact on the field of biology. His ideas about epigenetics have been vindicated by recent research, and they are now being incorporated into the new extended evolutionary synthesis without the modern synthesis. Waddington is considered to be the father of modern epigenetics, and his work has helped to shape our understanding of how genes and the environment interact to influence the phenotype.


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