Metaevolution - Evolution of Evolution
I've thought on this concept for the last few months, I thought
it was my original concept. But it already exists. Well,
'Metaevolution' is, unsurprisingly, evolution of evolution. But
the existing concept of metaevolution is quite different from
mine. Existing concept defines meta evolution as evolution of
evolution since the big-bang ( i.e. the birth of universe), but
I define metaevolution as the evolution of evolution (EoE) since
the birth of life (on earth?).
This means that all throughout life's history evolution has not
remained same, it itself changes with time to time. See, this is
a two way process: evolution changes the organism so that it
tries to become perfect for existing environment. But an
organism is not separate from environment; it is very well a
part of environment. It changes and modifies the environment
constantly. Thus, evolution in altered environment doesn't work
in the same way. Thus, evolution has been changed. If there is
more than one organism in a particular environment, each affects
the environment in his own way. So there is more complex change
in environment. Each changes the environment in his own way and
thus affecting the process of evolution which applies to all
organisms in that environment.
The only species which has had major affect on metaevolution has
been undoubtedly, Humans!! I say this because humans, thanks to
their evolved brains, developed great tools and techniques to
alter environments. These all stories of mass extinctions of
rare species are demonstrations of nothing but meta-evolution.
The humans have changed the course of evolution; therefore, the
incapable species don't fit into the environment anymore. Thus
they die. I don't see anything wrong with it, but the point is
that an organism (us) may change the environment to such an
extent which even removes his own food source. Thus the organism
is doomed to die.
Meta-evolution is even more interesting concept than evolution.
And this is because it involves a complex interplay between
organism, environment and evolution itself. Metaevolution may
also be influenced by external events such as change in climatic
conditions (change of earth from a violent to an earthly place),
meteor collision (it wiped out dinosaurs), etc. I wonder what
would have been life today if dinosaurs didn't go extinct. Would
humans still have arisen???
See, we can very well say that life is helping in the evolution
of environment on earth rather than the other way. But it is all
the same thing in light of metaevolution. It doesn't matter if
we say if organism changes environment or environment changes
organism, the fact is that there is a constant change between
the two. And due to the change the evolution itself evolves.
But, does evolution also follows the same rules such as survival
of the fittest. Maybe, we can know the answer if we can see the
affect same organisms on two radically different environments
such as two different planets (if life exists beyond earth). Or,
we may very well compare the different aspects of metaevolution
on a computer simulation. In my view, the essence of evolution
in extreme places such as hot-springs or glaciers is very much
different than we see at other places on earth. How is the
evolution different there? It has been suggested by the
researchers that the conditions of Hydrothermal Systems
represent early conditions of earth. So by studying, the
evolution there we might notice how the evolution has been
shaped on the earth. But I truly metaevolution needs more
thought and study. But if it is true, we see that evolution has
evolved into an entirely different species at places where life
exists on the edge.
Can there be metametaevolution?? Yes, of course we can do
anything on computer simulations. Or if alternate universes
exist!!!