Evo-Devo
The study of how changes in development produce evolutionary change in form.
Why it matters now
A small number of deeply conserved genetic switches build bodies across the whole animal kingdom, which explains how evolution produces large changes quickly from small genetic edits. The same understanding is now being applied to crops, where adjusting developmental timing yields drought escape and heat tolerance without adding a single foreign gene.
Where this is happening on Earth
- North AmericaSean Carroll and the discovery of the deep conservation of Hox genesShowed that a fly and a mouse share the body-patterning toolkit.
- EuropeChristiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Tübingen, GermanyMapped the genes that pattern the embryo, work recognised with a Nobel Prize.
- AsiaFlowering time modification in rice and wheat, China and IndiaDevelopmental timing adjusted so grain fills before the hot season arrives.
- AfricaSorghum and millet developmental adaptation research, Sahel institutesSelection on tillering and maturity timing for shortening rainy seasons.
- South AmericaMaize landrace diversity studies in Mexico and the AndesDevelopmental variation across thousands of farmer varieties as a reservoir for adaptation.
The idea itself
The encyclopedia entry first, then live searches at journals and magazines that keep returning current work on this specific idea.
Current reporting from around the world
Standing feeds at reputable periodicals. These stay fresh on their own, which is why they are here instead of a list of articles that would be out of date within a season.