Scientists conducted a large-scale study that showed that evolution according to Charles Darwin can occur much faster than previously thought. The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing various genetic variations, Science alert reports..

The more genetic traits a species has, the faster evolution can occur, as some traits die off and stronger ones become fixed.. Scientists who conducted the study call this principle the "

[see_also ids\u003d"

During the study, they looked at 19 different groups of animals around the world.. This analysis showed that there are much more such " Scientists may need to rethink current expectations of how fast animals can evolve.. This is a burning question in the era of climate change..

“This method gives us the ability to measure the potential rate of current evolution in response to natural selection for all traits in a population.. This is something we couldn't do with previous methods, so being able to see so many potential changes came as a surprise to the team,"

Wildlife studied included magnificent wrens (Malurus cyaneus) in Australia, spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) in Tanzania, song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in Canada, and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Scotland.. The rate of evolution on such a scale was estimated for the first time.

The average duration of each study was 30 years with detailed descriptions of birth, death, mating and offspring.. The shortest observation was 11 years, and the longest - 63 years. In total, the researchers conducted 2.6 million hours of field research, which combined with the genetic information of each animal.

The summing up took three years, but the team was able to calculate how many species changes were due to genetics and natural selection.. Darwin considered evolution to be a slow process, but previous research has shown that in some species, changes can occur in just a few years..

“A common example of rapid evolution is the pepper moth, which was predominantly white before the Industrial Revolution in Britain.. Due to pollution leaving black soot on trees and buildings, black moths had a survival advantage because they were harder for birds to detect.. Since the color of the moth determined its ability to survive and was associated with genetic differences, black moths soon began to predominate in populations in England, ”Bonnet said..

Scientists emphasize that this is the first study of its kind, so it has no starting point.. This means that there is no unambiguous evidence that species are evolving faster than in the past.. But it is already known for sure that there is more “fuel of evolution” than scientists thought..

The Earth lives in an era of global climate change, so knowing how species change and adapt is very important.. One of the main fears is that the species will not be able to adapt in time.. At the same time, even more comprehensive and comprehensive studies are needed to help find out how fast evolution takes place..

Previously, scientists from the University of Birmingham and the Natural History Museum of the Technical University in the UK discovered a fossil of one of the earliest representatives of the evolutionary line of crocodiles.. The creature lived on Earth about 240 million years ago.