Natural selection is the gradual, non-random process by which biological traits become either more or less common in a population. Individuals with certain variants of the trait survive and reproduce more than individuals with other variants.
In the African locust (Locusta migratoria), the nerve cells that connect to the wings originate in the abdomen, even though the wings are on the thorax. Nerve signals from the brain have to travel down the ventral nerve cord past their target, then backtrack through the insect to where they are needed.
© Oolon Colluphid 2003, 2009
Why would evolution produce something like that
Why would those who have such a poor design not die off and
Why wouldn't those with a better design be selected instead?
Why wouldn't those with a better design be selected instead
ReplyDeleteBecause natural selection "chooses" specimens that survive best, regardless of their design or inherent flaws.
That is fascinating. Usually, these examples are used to show evolution in fact, pointing out to the fact that there is no reason for a designer to do such obvious mistakes, while it makes perfect sense in the context of natural selection which blindly selects individuals.
My 2 favorites examples have always been the giraffe's laryngeal nerve and the need for vitamin C within apes. Ever heard of these?