As I write this, there is a large pandemic of coronavirus spreading across. Congratulations if you are lucky enough to read this article several years in the future! I'm a biologist with a special geekiness towards ecology and evolution. What else should I write about if not the evolution of viruses? What are viruses A virus essentially is genetic information in a … [Read more...] about How do viruses evolve and why it happens so quickly
Evolution
What is evolution and how does it work
Evolution, in a literal sense, means change. Anything can change and thus evolve, right? One of the first videos on Youtube was “Evolution of dance,” and since then, youtube has evolved itself a lot. Pokemon evolve, our personality can evolve, apes and monkeys can evolve, and even viruses evolve, too. At the same time, usually, when someone refers to evolution, they mean the … [Read more...] about What is evolution and how does it work
How do new species evolve through isolation
Even if you understand the basics of evolution, the way in which new species evolve can remain a mystery. It's easy to imagine how the length of a hummingbird's beak increases through generations. It's also possible to understand how, over millions of years, apes could turn into humans. But how could this lead to a diversity of species? It is estimated that more than … [Read more...] about How do new species evolve through isolation
Why natural lifestyle isn’t necessarily the best for you
“Avoid gluten in your diet, because our ancestors did not eat it, and neither should you!” “Rub your face with mud; early humans literally lived in it.” Similar statements are trendy as more people follow the seemingly reasonable logic that natural things are good and unnatural things are not. “Why do I need to brush my cat’s teeth? Have you seen a tiger flossing in … [Read more...] about Why natural lifestyle isn’t necessarily the best for you
If humans evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?
If evolution is true and we really did evolve from monkeys, why the hell are they still here? Similar questions have been among the most common ones asked of biologists for decades. If you ask Google, you will find millions of responses, yet people still seem to demand new and clearer answers. The question gets repeated in different forms: Why are there still chimps (or … [Read more...] about If humans evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?