Evolutionary biology is like nature’s ultimate reality show, “Survivor: Earth Edition”, where genes are the contestants, and only the fittest get a callback for the next generation. But, beyond explaining why peacocks have absurd feathers and why your appendix might be an evolutionary shrug, this field holds the keys to solving real-world problems. From predicting how viruses mutate (hello, COVID), to engineering crops that can survive climate chaos, to understanding why humans get addicted or depressed in the first place evolutionary biology helps us reverse-engineer life’s playbook. It’s not just about the past; it’s about rewriting our future. And let’s be honest: who doesn’t want a front-row seat to the remix of 4 billion years of innovation?
This is a review paper that helps young phylogenomicists get into the field. If you were ever lost on what genomic data types to use based on a priori knowledge, check out this paper!
Anyone interested in speciation or sexual selection research? This paper shows genomic evidence of active sexual selection pressure taking place in the amazing barn swallow subspecies complex!
