Darwin’s Magnificient Mystery and the Microbiome
ٲɾ’sٳOrigin of Speciesput forth aseminal andrevolutionary thesis for the life sciencesin 1859:Populations with a common ancestor evolve over time with enough change to become different species that no longer successfully interbreed.This process of descent with modification continues over time to produce lineages of new species. Darwinfamously referred to the process of one species becoming two as “the mystery of mysteries.”
More than160 years later,the life sciences are experiencing a second revolutionbased onthenewly appreciated knowledge thatallplant and animal speciesare stable or temporary hosts to amicrobiomeliving in or onthebody.
Anessayand literature review first authored byandbiological sciences undergraduateAsia Millerand co-authored by, Centennial Chair in Biological Sciences, professor of biological sciences and director of the,imagineshowsomechapters in ٲɾ’sOrigin of Specieswould lookwith our current understanding of the host-associatedmicrobiome.