Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Researchers Induce Evolution in Laboratory
"Duke University biologists have evolved a complex trait in the laboratory -- using the pressure of selection to induce tobacco hornworms to evolve the dual trait of turning black or green depending on the temperature during their development," according to a report in Medical News Today. "The biologists have also demonstrated the basic hormonal mechanism underlying the evolution of such dual traits."
"Their experiments, they said, offer important insight into how complex traits involving many genes can abruptly "blossom" in an organism's evolution."
"Their experiments, they said, offer important insight into how complex traits involving many genes can abruptly "blossom" in an organism's evolution."
