And a river sprang up in Eden

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And a river sprang from Eden: The clockwork of evolution is a popular science non-fiction book by the British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins published in 1996 in German by C. Bertelsmann Verlag . It was published in the English original under the title River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life in 1995 by Basic Books, New York . Dawkins treats various aspects of evolution in his book and tries to clear up any misunderstandings. The title is based on the Bible passage

"And a river went out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it was divided into four main arms."

- Gen 2,10  Lut

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To attract males to pollinate , orchids of the genus Ophrys imitate female insects . However, according to Dawkins, mimicry need not be perfect in the sense of irreducible complexity , since animals are easily deceived.

The digital flow

Dawkins envisions the evolution of species as a river of genes flowing through the history of the earth . Whenever a new species forms as a result of geographical isolation , the river receives a further branch. The river is therefore in the form of a family tree which, if you can trace it back enough, has its origin in the first common ancestor . The DNA can be understood like a digital code and only the most beneficial genes can flow unhindered through the generations according to the principle of natural selection .

Mother Africa and her children

This chapter covers the theory of mitochondrial Eve . She is the youngest common ancestor in the all-female lineage and like other people, she is very likely from Africa .

Secret benefit

Using the examples of mimicry , the eye and the bee dance , Dawkins explains that even highly complex biological phenomena can develop gradually in the course of evolution. Dawkins emphasizes this particularly with regard to the argument of irreducible complexity, often put forward by creationists .

God's utility function

Processes in nature are not always as one would expect from the point of view of efficiency . For example, it would be far more economical if all the trees in a forest were low. But the selection favors the egoism of the individual, so that there is a race to excel and the trees become very tall as a result.

The replication bomb

For Dawkins, the exponential expansion of life can be compared to an explosion . This process began when the first molecules became capable of self-replication . In the form of radio signals or space , this explosion is spreading now even in the space outside the earth from.

Reviews

“As [in The Blind Watchmaker and The Selfish Gene ] [Dawkins] explains in the present work using memorable examples of how different species and useful organs, for example eyes, gradually emerge from the genetic system. He elegantly levels out mental stumbling blocks such as the 'half-finished' organs that supposedly cannot function. "

"A stimulating book that simultaneously provides a short and concise introduction to the theory of evolution and an equally disturbing and impressive view of the world."

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Individual evidence

  1. Wolfgang Wickler: And a river sprang up in Eden. The clockwork of evolution. In: Spektrum.de. November 1, 1996, accessed May 2, 2015 .
  2. Florian Rötzer: A Brief History of Evolution. In: heise.de . September 13, 1996, accessed May 2, 2015 .