First genetic evidence of macroevolution found. …the scientists show how mutations in regulatory genes that guide the embryonic development of crustaceans and fruit flies allowed aquatic crustacean-like arthropods, with limbs on every segment of their bodies, to evolve 400 million years ago into a radically different body plan: the terrestrial six-legged insects.
The link is to a press release with a basic explanation; if you've got a subscription to Nature, you can read the whole article there.(via /.)
posted by darukaru on Feb 7, 2002 - 7 comments