Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

35.7K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
35.7K
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

8.3K
The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
8.3K
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

49.6K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
49.6K
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

7.1K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
7.1K
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

1.1K
Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the...
1.1K
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

22.9K
Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
22.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

MD-Phylogeny: Constructing Statistically Supported Phylogenetic Trees from Protein Structures Using Molecular Dynamics.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same author

Pervasive Transcription in the Human Genome Exceeds Background Noise.

Genome biology and evolution·2026
Same author

A digital DNA system favours the superiority of unidirectional inheritance over 'Lamarckian' inheritance.

PLoS computational biology·2025
Same author

David Penny (1938-2024).

Nature ecology & evolution·2024
Same author

The Constructive Black Queen hypothesis: new functions can evolve under conditions favouring gene loss.

The ISME journal·2024
Same author

Structome: a tool for the rapid assembly of datasets for structural phylogenetics.

Bioinformatics advances·2023
Same journal

The male-biased sex ratio in humans and its role in the transition from promiscuity to pair bonding.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Quantifying the counter-intuitive effects of vaccination by coupling the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 and the evolution of human behaviors.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

An integrative model of FGF2-induced signaling and muscle cell proliferation.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

A hybrid reaction-diffusion and mechanical stimulus model for mandibular bone remodeling under chewing and vibratory loading.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Integrated tick management strategies in fragmented peridomestic environments.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Joint likelihood-free inference of the number of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms and their selection coefficients in an evolving population.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 10, 2026

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

4.5K

Testing fundamental evolutionary hypotheses.

David Penny1, Michael D Hendy, Anthony M Poole

  • 1Allan Wilson Center for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand. d.penny@massey.ac.nz

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|July 10, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary theory is testable, even with sequence data limitations. Alternative hypotheses can be scientifically evaluated, including those about the origin of life.

More Related Videos

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.4K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

15.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 10, 2026

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

4.5K
Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
04:52

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

1.4K
Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat
06:03

Procedure for Adaptive Laboratory Evolution of Microorganisms Using a Chemostat

Published on: September 20, 2016

15.4K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Theoretical biology
  • Origin of life studies

Background:

  • Sober and Steel highlighted limitations of sequence data in evolutionary studies.
  • They suggested some evolutionary aspects are untestable by normal scientific means.

Discussion:

  • This study refutes the idea that fundamental evolutionary aspects are untestable.
  • It demonstrates how alternative hypotheses to descent can be logically formulated for scientific evaluation.
  • Limitations with DNA sequence data can be addressed using other sequence-derived characters.

Key Insights:

  • Scientific testability of evolutionary theory is reaffirmed.
  • Logical formulation is crucial for evaluating alternative evolutionary hypotheses.
  • Diverse data types can overcome limitations in sequence-based evolutionary analysis.

Outlook:

  • Further research can refine testable alternative hypotheses in evolutionary biology.
  • Investigating the origin of life remains amenable to hypothesis testing.
  • This work encourages robust scientific scrutiny of evolutionary models.