38 | New Scientist | 26 September 2020Our modern conception of
evolution started with Charles
Darwin and his idea of natural
selection – “survival of the fittest” –
to explain why certain individuals
thrive while others fail to leave a
legacy. Then came genetics toexplain the underlying mechanism:
changes in organisms caused by
random mutations of genes.
Now this powerful picture
is changing once more, asdiscoveries in genetics, epigenetics,
developmental biology and
other fields lend a new complexity
and richness to our greatest theory
of nature. Find out more in this
12-page feature special.Features Cover story