These carnivorous plants won the evolutionary jackpot

Carnivorous plants have evolved all kinds of traps and tricks to capture their prey, from the snapping jaws of Venus flytraps to the slippery walls of pitcher plants. Although we often think of evolution as a process driven by strong selective pressure and big payoffs, researchers recently found that doesn’t always have to be the case. Biologists Ulrike Bauer and Guillaume Chomicki describe how a springboard-like lid evolved independently in two different pitcher plant species on opposite sides of the world through a process they call spontaneous coincidence.

**Dr. Guillaume Chomicki's current affiliation is at Durham University.

Thumbnail Image Credit: Chien C. Lee

[jezx]

I was amazed by Venus plants when I was a kid! My fave page in the encyclopedia 🖤

[DocMacKay]

Mutations: A HUGE problem for evolution
For nearly a century it has been claimed that mutations are the engine that drives evolution, bringing new traits and information to the genome. And yet, the more we have learned about mutations, the more obvious it is that the exact opposite is true. Mutations aren’t the engine of evolution. They are its end.

[LGChamb]

Amazing plants and a great example how science will accept absurd, improbable, non-explanations to avoid the more obvious explanation of the existence of a higher power.

[porksashimi_]

Why do we call insects "meat" ? Maybe they're just plant juice

[azurebrown]

That is hilariously disappointing. The answer to important evolution questions is "randomness, " 😂😂 what a bunch of 🤡s. They are better off being honest and saying, "we don't know, " but they love old Darwin so much.