For the John Templeton Foundation, I wrote about the expanding horizons of evolution beyond genetic inheritance.
A bewildering array of forces are at work, including epigenetic inheritance and developmental plasticity, as well as niche construction, microbiome transfer, and cultural behaviors.
While affirming the significant role of the gene in evolution, organism-centered approaches suggest that non-genetic factors are not merely footnotes but important drivers in the intricate feedback loops that affect how organisms grow and adapt.
May 23, 2023, updated Mar 18, 2025