Recent research has suggested that the combination of hybridization and polyploidization could play a major role in the evolution of species. Hybridization, or the mating of two different species, and polyploidization, or the increase in the number of chromosomes that occurs when two sets of chromosomes fuse, have long been seen as major forces in the evolution of new species. However, until recently, their exact role in the evolution of species was unclear. Now, researchers have begun to uncover the potential of hybridization and polyploidization to create novel species. By combining the genetic material of two species, hybrids may be able to create new species with unique traits and abilities. Furthermore, polyploidization can increase the number of new species that can be created. This could lead to an explosion of new species, each with its own unique genetic makeup. The implications of this research are clear; hybridization and polyploidization could be major drivers of evolutionary change in the future.

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source: Phys.org