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Genetic Study of House Dust Mites Demonstrates Reversible Evolution

Posted on: March 12, 2013 - 12:50pm

Vastet

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Genetic Study of House Dust Mites Demonstrates Reversible Evolution

Mar. 8, 2013 — In evolutionary biology, there is a deeply rooted supposition that you can't go home again: Once an organism has evolved specialized traits, it can't return to the lifestyle of its ancestors.
There's even a name for this pervasive idea. Dollo's law states that evolution is unidirectional and irreversible. But this "law" is not universally accepted and is the topic of heated debate among biologists.
Now a research team led by two University of Michigan biologists has used a large-scale genetic study of the lowly house dust mite to uncover an example of reversible evolution that appears to violate Dollo's law.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130308093424.htm

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.

Posted on: March 12, 2013 - 1:59pm #1

Sinphanius

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I've always been under the

I've always been under the impression that it didn't state you couldn't go back to a past way of life, rather that you can't "undo" your history. Even if you wind up back where you started, you have still traveled a distance away and back again and that path has left its remnants in your genetic and evolutionary history, and although you may wind up with a creature that looks like and functions like one of its ancestors, it is still not its ancestor.

The example I remember is that even if a modern bird were to shed its feathers, go back to scales, and start walking around on the ground it still is not a dinosaur.

When you say it like that you make it sound so Sinister...

Posted on: March 12, 2013 - 3:02pm #2

digitalbeachbum

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Sinphanius wrote:I've always

Sinphanius wrote:

I've always been under the impression that it didn't state you couldn't go back to a past way of life, rather that you can't "undo" your history. Even if you wind up back where you started, you have still traveled a distance away and back again and that path has left its remnants in your genetic and evolutionary history, and although you may wind up with a creature that looks like and functions like one of its ancestors, it is still not its ancestor.
The example I remember is that even if a modern bird were to shed its feathers, go back to scales, and start walking around on the ground it still is not a dinosaur.

Mathmatically it would be possible for a bird to become a dinosaur, depending on the environment.

Posted on: March 12, 2013 - 6:03pm #3

Brian37

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Ah that explains Rush and

Ah that explains Rush and Ann and Hanity and Fucks News.

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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Posted on: March 12, 2013 - 6:22pm #4

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