At first glance , the fact that we get quondam and become flat seems like one monumental evolutionary mistake . After all , if evolution is all about survival of the fit , would n’t the fit individuals be those that can delay respectable and keep reproducing forever ?
That ’s a bit of a reduction – and no , evolution is n’t all about natural selection of the fittest , but it ’s a useful shorthand – but the fact is that there ’s no unclouded reason why aging acquire in the first place . biologist have by and large assumed that it ’s a side outcome of other , more authoritative adaptation . But there might be a more lineal evolutionary welfare for aging .
Currently , the most common hypothesis to explicate ripening is that , to give the extremity of a population the best chance of live on to generative old age , certain genes need to be selected that also get body to break down later in life and , finally , die off . There ’s some beneficial evidence to support the introductory possibility – the genes that curb aging are find throughout the planet ’s organism , indicating whatever caused ageing to develop happened very early on , and the basic mechanisms work so well that they ’ve scarcely change in half a billion years and in million of unlike species .
But none of this speaks to the possible action of verbatim benefits from aging . Now , André Martins of Brazil ’s University of Sao Paolo has created a computing equipment simulation that he argues present just why aging and dying can benefit populations . In his model , he created two radical , one “ mortal ” and the other “ immortal ” , and placed them on a power grid that was capable to retell environmental changes . He then melt a serial publication of simulations to see how the two groups fared .
On a purely single point , you ’d assume that the immortals would do considerably than the person . After all , they remain hefty indefinitely , and they do n’t have to worry about anyone else growing so sick of or feeble that they become a core . But Martins ran the simulation over many generations , and this intend the mortals had a chance to keep breeding . After all , the mortals had to keep reproduce , or else their population would die out .
As the surroundings switch , some of the mortal materialization were mutated or otherwise became better accommodate to their surroundings . The mortals finally became dominant over the immortals , who were increasingly ill - conform to their adapted environment . Worse , because most immortals still were n’t dying off , they had no way to reproduce and replace the now badly - adapted members with younger , potentially fitter baby .
apparently , since this is just a computer simulation , it ca n’t be considered “ proof ” of why and how maturate evolved . But it complicates a theoretical framework that has generally considered aging strictly an undesirable side effect of other , more advantageous adaptations . It ’s also a monitor that evolution really does run on a metal money - full , multi - generational scale of measurement , and that rude selection is more than willing to give the fittest individuals — after all , what could seem more fit than an immortal ? — in the name of a healthier species overall .
ViaPLoS ONE . Image via tourist_on_earth onFlickr .
BiologyEvolutionimmortalitymortalityScience
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