Breaking Through the Complexity Barrier: Horizontal Gene Transfer Offers New Understanding of Evolution
We’ve all heard of the evolutionary process, but scientists have now discovered a “complexity barrier” that prevents species from crossing over to new and more complex forms. This barrier, recently discovered by researchers at the University of Tokyo, is known as a “horizontal gene transfer barrier.” This barrier prevents species from taking on new and more complex forms through the transfer of genetic information from one organism to another. The researchers discovered that the barrier is created when species acquire new genetic material, but are unable to incorporate it into their existing genetic code. The barrier is then said to prevent the species from taking on new and more complex forms. This discovery has major implications for evolutionary biology, and could help us better understand the evolution of species and the way they interact with the environment.
source: Phys.org