Move to the EES

The "modern synthesis," a cornerstone of evolutionary biology, has long explained the mechanisms of evolution primarily through the lens of genetic mutations and natural selection.  This framework, developed in the mid-20th century, integrates Darwinian natural selection with Mendelian genetics, proposing that heritable variations arise from random changes in DNA sequences. However, recent advances in molecular biology, particularly in the field of epigenetics, are painting a more nuanced picture of inheritance and evolution. The journal article , "The epigenome in evolution: beyond the modern synthesis," explores how epigenetics is revolutionizing our understanding of heritable variation and challenging the traditional, gene-centric view of evolution. This paradigm shift suggests that evolution is not solely a game of genetic chance but also involves a layer of heritable, non DNA sequence-based information the epigenome. Epigenetics refers to heritable ...

The modern synthesis of evolutionary biology, which emerged in the mid-20th century, has long served as the framework for understanding how life evolves. It integrated Darwinian natural selection with Mendelian genetics, positing that evolution is a gradual process driven by changes in gene frequencies within populations.  Central to this view are the concepts of random mutation as the sole source of new genetic variation and the inheritance of traits being solely through DNA. However, in recent decades, a growing body of evidence has challenged the sufficiency of this framework, leading to the proposal of an "extended evolutionary synthesis" (EES). This new paradigm incorporates a broader range of causal factors, and at the heart of this debate lies the increasing recognition of the role of epigenetics. The inclusion of epigenetics in the evolutionary narrative is not merely an addition; it represents a fundamental shift that challenges the core tenets of the mod...