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While you raise a good point about evolution being inscrutable - the stripes do effect files... " By watching and filming the stable’s horses and zebras, the t

While you raise a good point about evolution being inscrutable - the stripes do effect files... " By watching and filming the stable’s horses and zebras, the team confirmed that horseflies were much worse at alighting on the latter. The flies had no problem finding the zebras or approaching them, but couldn’t stick the landing. “You get a quarter as many landings,” Caro said. “The flies just can’t probe for a blood meal with the zebras.” " I think the evolution angle relates to the question "Why did this trait evolve? What function does it serve?" with a potential Answer "It repels flies."

atoav 8y ago
My point might have been unclear, but I didn’t doubt the usefulness of the stripes in even a slight way. My critique was pointed at the wording. IMO it is not about why a trait evolved – there are many useless traits that envolved somewhere during special conditions and after these conditions change remain for a eternity or suddenly find a new usefulness in changed circumstances. This means pinpointing such a trait down to a single why is not a good representation of reality. Are such observations valuable? For sure! Nature developed amazing strategies for all kind of things and not looking at these would be a waste. I’d just be a bit more cautios with quick conclusions that involve meaning and answering why-questions, that’s all