by Richard William Nelson | Nov 28, 2014
Charles Darwin‘s fascination with insects began early in life. While studying at Cambridge University, his interest continued with earnestness, as he sent James Francis Stephens, his professor of entomology (insects), specimens and descriptions of the critters.
At the time, discussing the evolution of insect genetics would have been as relevant as discussing moon landings. Just months before setting sail on the HMS Beagle in 1831, Stevens published his recognition of Darwin’s work on insects (pictured right) in his widely popular Illustrations of British Entomology.
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by Richard William Nelson | Oct 8, 2014
The genetic mutation plus natural selection equation emerged as the most popular theory of biological evolution during the twentieth century.
However, with advances in biotechnology, evolutionary scientists have since increasingly challenged the credibility of this theory, popularly known as neo-Darwinism or the Modern Synthesis theory.
A recent study published in the journal Science by a Harvard research group undermines the theory that genetic mutations plus natural selection equals evolution in an experimental evolution model using the yeast microbe Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The model demonstrates stasis – not evolution.
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by Richard William Nelson | Jan 23, 2014
Charles Darwin‘s first reference to a “gene” appears in the 4th Edition of The Origin of Species in 1866. Since then, the gene has emerged as the essential molecular mechanism driving Darwin’s theory.
This intersection of natural selection with Gregor Mendel‘s theory of genetic inheritance was later known as the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis, also referred to as The Modern Synthesis, primarily based on Julian Huxley’s 1942 book, Evolution: The Modern Synthesis.
A gene mutation-driven evolution theory gained increasing popularity. However, by the 1960s, the model began encountering challenges as it was being applied using emerging genomic technologies.
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by Richard William Nelson | Jan 9, 2014
Pristine preservation of DNA is of critical importance in the study of ancient DNA. The structural integrity of the DNA molecule, contrary to the Jurassic Park tale, is not infinitely stable.
Damage to the DNA molecule in living organisms occurs naturally from normal metabolic and hydrolytic processes and from environmental factors such as ultraviolet light and radiation.
Damage to DNA in mammalian cells is known to occur 1 million times daily. While living organisms can identify and correct these damages, the evolutionary industry has been reticent to address the stability of ancient DNA in the fossil record.
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by Richard William Nelson | May 11, 2013
Embryology plays a critical role in Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The “leading facts in embryology … [were] second to none in importance,” he argued in The Origin of Species.
Illustrations of embryos by Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist, influenced Darwin. Haeckel’s drawings depict embryos repeating the steps of evolution, a concept known as the “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” theory.
It is believed that genes drive evolution through the process of natural selection. Since turtles have a unique body plan, studying the turtle genome during embryonic development is expected to give insight into their origin.
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Embryology plays a critical role in 