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Related Concept Videos

Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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Limits to Natural Selection01:38

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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.
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Functionalism01:11

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William James, John Dewey, and Charles Sanders Peirce were instrumental in founding functional psychology, which draws heavily from Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. This theory suggests that individual traits, including behaviors, are adapted to their environments through natural selection. At the heart of functionalism is the concept of adaptation, meaning that a trait enhances an individual's chances of survival and reproduction.
James envisioned psychology's...
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What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

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Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
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Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

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Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations,...
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Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

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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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2025

Mutagenesis and Functional Selection Protocols for Directed Evolution of Proteins in E. coli
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On the roles of function and selection in evolving systems.

Michael L Wong1,2, Carol E Cleland3, Daniel Arend3

  • 1Earth and Planets Laboratory, Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington, DC 20015.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|October 16, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new law, the "law of increasing functional information," is proposed to explain how complex systems evolve. This law suggests that systems evolve when many configurations are selected for specific functions, driving increasing complexity.

Keywords:
Titanevolving systemsfunctional informationnatural lawsselection

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Complex Systems

Background:

  • Classical physical laws describe macroscopic systems but do not fully capture the evolution of complexity.
  • Identifying conceptual equivalencies in diverse phenomena has historically advanced scientific understanding.
  • The evolution of systems like stars, minerals, atmospheres, and life is a key natural wonder.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a new, fundamental law governing the evolution of complex systems.
  • To identify universal principles underlying system evolution and functional information.
  • To articulate a framework for understanding how diverse systems change over time.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of classical physics and evolutionary processes.
  • Identification of shared attributes in evolving natural systems.
  • Formulation of universal selection concepts (static persistence, dynamic persistence, novelty generation).

Main Results:

  • Evolving systems share attributes: numerous components, diverse configurations, and function-based selection.
  • Universal selection concepts underpin system function and evolution.
  • A new law, the "law of increasing functional information," is proposed.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed law offers a unifying principle for understanding the evolution of complexity across diverse systems.
  • Functional information increases as systems undergo selection for specific functions.
  • This framework provides new insights into the dynamics of evolving natural phenomena.