New Books in Science, Technology, and Society Mark Vellend, "Everything Evolves: Why Evolution Explains More than We Think, from Proteins to Politics" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Sep 27, 2025
Mark Vellend, a biology professor and author of Everything Evolves, dives into how evolutionary principles shape everything from bacteria to technology. He discusses the intersection of physics and evolution, challenging the idea that Darwin's theories are the beginning of evolutionary thought. Vellend explains how even man-made technologies can evolve and explores the implications of artificial intelligence embracing evolutionary processes. He also touches on the significance of diversity, adaptation, and the impacts of global homogenization.
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Blurred Line Between Random And Directed Variation
- Variation generation can be non-random in biology (e.g., CRISPR) and partly random in culture; the distinction blurs.
- Both random and directed variant generation exist across systems, so tune that dial rather than reject cultural evolution.
Why More Variation Can Be Harmful
- Excess variation can reduce average performance when systems are already well-adapted.
- Evolution balances the cost of harmful variation against the chance to discover much better solutions.
Feedback Drives Rapid Transitions
- Positive feedback amplifies success (network effects) while negative feedback stabilizes systems.
- Their interplay produces rapid, hard-to-reverse shifts and potential critical transitions.
