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1-Page Summary of The Extended Phenotype

Overview

The theory of evolution is well known. However, when we consider who was actually surviving, we may have been thinking only about humans or animals. It’s important to remember that there’s more than one way to consider Darwin’s theories, and if we pay attention only to big organisms like monkeys and humans, we miss a major player in the survival game: genes. When you zoom down to the cellular level, it becomes clear that genes are really trying hard not just for their own survival but also for your success so they can be passed on through generations.

Richard Dawkins, the author of The Selfish Gene, suggests that we look at genes through a microscope to see how competitive they are and how they adapt, mutate and replicate.

In this article, you will learn that there is no such thing as a “blue-eye gene.” You’ll also learn about the angler fish and how it’s more than just creepy – it’s an example of evolution. Furthermore, snails’ shells can teach us about evolution.

Big Idea #1: When considering evolution, we should think of genes as well as organisms.

The theory of evolution is a popular concept in the scientific community. It was first introduced by Charles Darwin and has been used to explain many biological phenomena. When we think about evolution, we often take an organism’s perspective on survival. We consider how plants and animals fight to survive against each other, but this isn’t the only way they can compete for resources or die off completely.

We usually think of evolution in terms of populations and ecosystems, but we also recognize the importance of smaller units like cells and genes. The majority of biologists focus on the individual body because they study organisms rather than populations or genes.

But when we shift our focus from the individual animals to their genes, we can see that it’s a lot like looking at a Necker cube. A Necker cube is just two overlapping squares with four diagonal lines connecting the corners.

When you look at a Necker cube, it can appear to be two different ways. The lower square or the upper square could make up the front of the cube, but both perspectives are equally valid and accurate.

When we look at things from an organism’s point of view, it seems as though the organism is fighting for survival. However, if we look at things from a gene’s perspective instead, then genes are what fight for survival. Both perspectives are valid and both can be useful. When we shift to looking at things through a genetic lens, new questions arise that go beyond why certain genes benefit organisms (e.g., “Why do some genes exist?”). Now we can ask why certain groups of genes tend to appear together in organisms (e.g., “Why do certain gene combinations occur more often than others?”).

In the following sections, we’ll explore these questions and more.

Big Idea #2: Genes can only influence our lives; they can’t determine our future.

We love myths. For example, the legend of Bigfoot or Elvis Presley working at a gas station are just some examples of myths that people believe in and keep alive for generations.

Biology is also a field that’s not immune to myths. One of them is the idea that genes determine what we do and how our lives turn out. For example, if parents know their child has trouble with math, they might think tutoring will help. However, if they’re told there’s a “math gene,” they’ll probably give up on trying to improve their child because it seems like nothing can be done about it – after all, science says so!

Genes of a person can suggest what they are good at or bad at. However, their genes do not limit them to those things only. People tend to misunderstand biology lingo. For example, when biologists say a fruit fly has the red-eye gene it simply means that fruit fly is more likely to have red eyes but not destined for having those same eyes.