Sublime

although it is self-evidently true, it is not self-evidently the explanation of specific adaptations. Our intuition prefers explanations in terms of function or purpose: what does a gene do for its holder, or for its species? But we have just seen that the genes generally do not optimize such functionality.

coaches compartmentalise energy systems that are never compartmentalised in nature.

Essa ciência perdida da hereditariedade, essa inexplorada mina de conhecimento na fronteira da biologia com a antropologia, que para todos os efeitos práticos é tão inexplorada hoje quanto nos tempos de Platão, é, em simples verdade, dez vezes mais importante para a humanidade do que toda a química e a física, toda a ciência técnica e industrial

only took a small double-stranded RNA, the length of about 21 base pairs, to shut down gene expression.

Both are dynamic systems in which the selfish actions of countless individuals—whether they be cells or investors—lead to unpredictable consequences at the system level. In turn, these collective actions and consequences feed back to influence individual actions in endless cycles of adaptation and evolution.