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This is absolutely fascinating. An experiment using E. coli has been running for 20 years. Scientists discovered the evolution of a major new trait and, because they kept samples of past generations, they were able to replay the process.
The replays showed that even when he looked at trillions of cells, only the original population re-evolved Cit+ – and only when he started the replay from generation 20,000 or greater. Something, he concluded, must have happened around generation 20,000 that laid the groundwork for Cit+ to later evolve.
I wonder how the Discovery Institute will squirm out of this one.
Update:
Here’s more info.
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