A new vision for how evolution works is long overdue

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00054-x

By Eva Jablonka

A new book, Evolution Evolving, is shaking up the foundations of evolutionary biology by challenging the “modern synthesis” view of evolution. Authors Kevin Lala and colleagues propose the “extended evolutionary synthesis,” which highlights the role of development and extragenetic inheritance in shaping organisms, alongside natural selection. Using examples like blind cavefish and epigenetic inheritance, the book reveals how traits emerge and evolve through complex processes beyond random genetic mutations. This fresh perspective opens the door to new research and a deeper understanding of evolution’s mechanisms, making it a must-read for anyone curious about life’s diversity and future.