This book provides a perspective on adaptive evolution.

The three pillars of evolution, defined as progression from simple molecules to humans, are the origin of life and genetic damage called mutations selected by natural selection. Dr. Bergman documents that the peer reviewed scientific literature has demolished these central pillars of evolution, specifically the origin of life from non-life and the source of genetic variety called mutations honed by natural selection. As genetic research of life has been shown to be increasingly more complex, life from nonlife by natural means is now no longer feasible. Furthermore, most all mutations are partly or wholly deleterious and natural selection serves primarily to reduce the deterioration of life, not evolve life to greater levels of complexity as evolution postulates. In short. the naturalistic evolutionary theory first expounded by Charles Darwin has been falsified by scientific research.

Pillars of Evolution provides a fresh and provocative perspective on adaptive evolution. Readers new to the study of evolution will find a refreshing new insight that establishes evolutionary biology as a rigorous and predictive science, whilst practicing biologists will discover a provocative book that challenges traditional approaches. The book begins by leading readers through the mechanics of heredity, reproduction, movement, survival, and development. With that framework in place, it then explores the numerous ways that traits emerge from the interactions between genetics, development, and the environment. The key message is that adaptive changes in traits (and their underlying allelic frequencies) evolve through the traits' functions and their connection with fitness. The complex mappings from genes-to-traits-to-fitness are characterized in the structure of evolution. A single "structure matrix" describes why individuals vary in the values of adaptive traits, their ability to perform the function of those traits, and in the fitness they accrue. Fitness depends on how organisms interact with and perceive their environment in time and space. These relationships are made explicit in spatial, temporal, and organizational scale that also sets the stage for the crucially important role that ecology always plays in evolution. The ecological hallmarks of density- and frequency-dependent interactions allow the authors to explore new and exciting insights into evolution's dynamics. The theories and principles are then brought together in a final synthesis on adaptation. The book's unique approach unites genetic, development, and environmental influences into a single comprehensive treatment of the eco-evolutionary process.

This text changes the conceptual hierarchy between biology and evolution, providing new insights into biology and philosophy. It introduces the science of 'evology' and defines its six core themes of mechanics, dynamics, pattern, structure, function and scale.

Experimental approaches to evolution provide indisputable evidence of evolution by directly observing the process at work. Experimental evolution deliberately duplicates evolutionary processes—forcing life histories to evolve, producing adaptations to stressful environmental conditions, and generating lineage splitting to create incipient species. This unique volume summarizes studies in experimental evolution, outlining current techniques and applications, and presenting the field’s full range of research—from selection in the laboratory to the manipulation of populations in the wild. It provides work on such key biological problems as the evolution of Darwinian fitness, sexual reproduction, life history, athletic performance, and learning.

The three pillars of evolution, defined as progression from simple molecules to humans, are the origin of life and genetic damage called mutations selected by natural selection. Dr. Bergman documents that the peer reviewed scientific literature has demolished these central pillars of evolution, specifically the origin of life from non-life and the source of genetic variety called mutations honed by natural selection. As genetic research of life has been shown to be increasingly more complex, life from nonlife by natural means is now no longer feasible. Furthermore, most all mutations are partly or wholly deleterious and natural selection serves primarily to reduce the deterioration of life, not evolve life to greater levels of complexity as evolution postulates. In short. the naturalistic evolutionary theory first expounded by Charles Darwin has been falsified by scientific research.

" It is easy to think of evolution as something that happened long ago, or that occurs only in "nature," or that is so slow that its ongoing impact is virtually nonexistent when viewed from the perspective of a single human lifetime. But we now know that when natural selection is strong, evolutionary change can be very rapid. In this book, some of the world's leading scientists explore the implications of this reality for human life and society. With some twenty-five essays, this volume provides authoritative yet accessible explorations of why understanding evolution is crucial to human life--from dealing with climate change and ensuring our food supply, health, and economic survival to developing a richer and more accurate comprehension of society, culture, and even what it means to be human itself. Combining new essays with ones revised and updated from the acclaimed Princeton Guide to Evolution, this collection addresses the role of evolution in aging, cognition, cooperation, religion, the media, engineering, computer science, and many other areas. The result is a compelling and important book about how evolution matters to humans today. The contributors include Francisco J. Ayala, Dieter Ebert, Elizabeth Hannon, Richard E. Lenski, Tim Lewens, Jonathan B. Losos, Jacob A. Moorad, Mark Pagel, Robert T. Pennock, Daniel E. L. Promislow, Robert C. Richardson, Alan R. Templeton, and Carl Zimmer."--