Epigenetic Lamarck

The traditional narrative of evolution, heavily reliant on random genetic mutations and natural selection, has served us well for over a century. However, the rise of epigenetics offers a compelling, and competing, perspective, suggesting that heritable changes can occur independently of DNA sequence alterations. These changes, often triggered by environmental factors, introduce a new layer of complexity to the evolutionary process, potentially reshaping our understanding of adaptation, inheritance, and the very nature of evolutionary change. Epigenetics encompasses a suite of molecular mechanisms that modulate gene expression without altering the underlying DNA code. These mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the action of non-coding RNAs. DNA methylation, the addition of methyl groups to DNA, can silence genes, while histone modifications, chemical changes to the proteins around which DNA is wrapped, can alter gene accessibility. Non-coding RNAs...