Lynn MargulisEvolution is no linear family tree, but change in the single multidimensional being that has grown to cover the entire surface of Earth.
About This Quote
"Evolution is no linear family tree, but change in the single multidimensional being that has grown to cover the entire surface of Earth" is a quote by Stephen Jay Gould. In this quote, Gould explains that evolution is a much more complex process than a simple progression from one species to another. Rather, evolution is a continuous process where random mutations cause chance changes in an organism's genetic code. Those changes can take one of two paths.
In the first path, those mutations lead to a change in the organism's physical characteristics. In the second path, those changes lead to a change in the organism's behavior. But those two paths are not exclusive, as creatures can sometimes have characteristics from both paths.
This means that there are many different kinds of creatures that appear throughout Earth's history and remain unchanged for long periods of time.
Source: What Is Life?
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