[__ Science __ ] Evolution Isn’t Random? New Study “Challenges Decades of Scientific Understanding”

[AIG.com]

A new study challenges “decades of scientific understanding” by suggesting that maybe evolution isn’t as random as was thought.

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[Barbarian]

Darwin's great discovery was that evolution isn't random. Over 150 years of observation show that populations tend to become more fit over time. Mutations are randomly distributed, but natural selection is the antithesis of randomness. Hence the observation that different populations can evolve the same phenotype, but with different genes. Luria and Delbruck got Nobels for showing this is the way it happens.

“We found that some gene families never turned up in a genome when a particular other gene family was already there, and on other occasions, some genes were very much dependent on a different gene family being present.” The researchers have essentially discovered an invisible ecosystem where genes can cooperate or can be in conflict with one another.

Its called "epistasis" and it's not news.

Epistasis Definition​

Epistasis is the interaction between genes that influences a phenotype.

Epistasis - Definition, Types and Examples | Biology Dictionary

Epistasis is the interaction between genes that influences a phenotype. Genes can either mask each other so that one is considered “dominant” or they can combine to produce a new trait. It is the conditional relationship between two genes that can determine a single phenotype of some traits.

biologydictionary.net

Some genes are not useful, or can even be harmful when a certain other gene is not present. And it can work the other way as well. Some genes are selected against, if other genes are present in the genome.

If anyone is more interested in this, we can talk about it.