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People tend to think that constant evolution is the natural state of the world becoming "more advanced". But really, evolution will only happen when there's a r

People tend to think that constant evolution is the natural state of the world becoming "more advanced". But really, evolution will only happen when there's a reason. This species is related to a bunch of other species that did evolve, but apparently it represents a group that managed to stay in conditions that it was already adequately adapted for. Or there was no beneficial direction available in which it could evolve.

thaumasiotes 10y ago
> People tend to think that constant evolution is the natural state of the world becoming "more advanced". But really, evolution will only happen when there's a reason. This is fallacious. It's so wrong that it overlooks the term ("genetic drift") that specifically describes evolution that happens "for no reason". All species constantly evolve, as noted in nn3's sibling comment to yours. This one has preserved its skeletal structure, which is an infinitesimal part of it. From the heading of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_fossil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_fossil: > The term living fossil is sometimes used in the popular literature, as if to imply a lack of evolution, and has occasionally also been taken to imply very low rates of molecular evolution, but scientific investigations have repeatedly discredited claims that these species do not change at all, as well as other misconceptions about living fossils. > Living fossils are not expected to exhibit exceptionally low rates of molecular evolution, and some studies have shown that they do not. For example, on tadpole shrimp (Triops), one article notes, "Our work shows that organisms with conservative body plans are constantly radiating, and presumably, adapting to novel conditions.... I would favor retiring the term ‘living fossil’ altogether, as it is generally misleading."

thaumasiotes 10y ago

> People tend to think that constant evolution is the natural state of the world becoming "more advanced". But really, evolution will only happen when there's a reason. This is fallacious. It's so wrong that it overlooks the term ("genetic drift") that specifically describes evolution that happens "for no reason". All species constantly evolve, as noted in nn3's sibling comment to yours. This one has preserved its skeletal structure, which is an infinitesimal part of it. From the heading of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_fossil https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_fossil: > The term living fossil is sometimes used in the popular literature, as if to imply a lack of evolution, and has occasionally also been taken to imply very low rates of molecular evolution, but scientific investigations have repeatedly discredited claims that these species do not change at all, as well as other misconceptions about living fossils. > Living fossils are not expected to exhibit exceptionally low rates of molecular evolution, and some studies have shown that they do not. For example, on tadpole shrimp (Triops), one article notes, "Our work shows that organisms with conservative body plans are constantly radiating, and presumably, adapting to novel conditions.... I would favor retiring the term ‘living fossil’ altogether, as it is generally misleading."