How Epigenetics Challenges Common Ancestry
Epigenetics is the study of how behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way genes work. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change the DNA sequence, but they can change how the body reads a DNA sequence. The concept of common ancestry, a cornerstone of evolutionary biology, suggests that all living organisms share a common ancestor from which they have descended through a process of gradual modification and diversification. This theory relies heavily on the idea that DNA sequences, passed down from generation to generation, accumulate changes over time, leading to the diversity of life we see today. However, the emerging field of epigenetics introduces a new layer of complexity to this understanding, challenging the traditional view of common ancestry in several ways: 1. Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics: Epigenetics suggests that traits acquired during an organism's lifetime due to environmental influences can ...