TV News LIES

Thursday, Mar 28th

Last update06:49:59 AM GMT

You are here News Science Bacterial Competition In Lab Shows Evolution Never Stops

Bacterial Competition In Lab Shows Evolution Never Stops

microbe evolutionEvolution is relentless process that seems to keep going and going, even when creatures live in a stable, unchanging world.

That's the latest surprise from a unique experiment that's been underway for more than a quarter-century.

Evolution is so important for biology, medicine and a general understanding of our world that scientists want to understand it as fully as possible. That's why, in 1988, biologist took a dozen glass flasks and added identical bacteria to each of them. Those 12 populations have been evolving ever since, letting scientists watch evolution in real time.

Day after day — including holidays and weekends — workers in Lenski's lab at Michigan State University in East Lansing feed and care for the E. coli bacteria. The bacteria eat and divide again and again. The original microbes have produced more than 50,000 generations over the last 25 years.

Random mutations have allowed them to get fitter, meaning they reproduce faster. "In evolutionary biology, fitness is this representation of the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce," says Lenski. He explains that all else being equal, organisms that reproduce more quickly will have an advantage when competing with those that reproduce more slowly.

Early on, Lenski predicted his bacteria would adapt and adapt but eventually hit a wall — that they would reach a peak level of fitness they couldn't improve on.

More...

 


Most Recent Related Stories...


This medieval astrolabe has both Arabic and Hebrew markings. Here's what it means

Astrolabe with Arabic and Hebrew markings Sometimes a little modern technology can help turn up an ancient treasure — even if that...

NASA Concerned as Voyager 1 Sending Back Incomprehensible Code

Voyager I NASA's two Voyager spacecraft have spent almost half a century traveling through distant space. The probes, which...

‘Larger than Everest’ comet could become visible to naked eye this month

Larger than Everest comet A comet that is larger than Mount Everest could become visible to the naked eye in...

Private Lunar Lander Makes First U.S. Touchdown On The Moon In 50 Years

Private lunar landerA private U.S. lunar lander touched down on the moon Thursday, but contact with the craft...
 
America's # 1 Enemy
Tee Shirt
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
TVNL Tee Shirt
 
TVNL TOTE BAG
Conserve our Planet
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
Get your 9/11 & Media
Deception Dollars
& Help Support TvNewsLIES.org!
 
The Loaded Deck
The First & the Best!
The Media & Bush Admin Exposed!