Carl Zimmer | Quanta Magazine

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class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>New research has uncovered a social world of viruses full of cheating, cooperation and other intrigues, suggesting that viruses make sense only as members of a community.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a 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enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>Recent discoveries have led some researchers to argue that the modern evolutionary synthesis needs to be amended.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/ocean-virus-populations-mapped-for-first-time-20150521/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>Scientists Map 5,000 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xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='16862 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=16862'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='16862' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div 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New Science of Evolutionary Forecasting</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="1200" height="600" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/default.gif" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="" decoding="async" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/biology/">Biology</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/can-scientists-predict-the-future-of-evolution-20140717/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> The New Science of Evolutionary Forecasting </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/carl-zimmer/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Carl Zimmer</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>July 17, 2014</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/can-scientists-predict-the-future-of-evolution-20140717/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 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</div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>Newly discovered patterns in evolution may help scientists make accurate short-term predictions.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card clearfix mv05 pv1 '> <div class='card__image mr1 mb1' data-toggle-hover='card'> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-surprising-origins-of-lifes-complexity-20130716/' class='relative'> <span class='screen-reader-text'>The Surprising Origins of Life鈥檚 Complexity</span> <div class='image mx0 relative image--standard'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img width="640" height="479" src="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Manvelyan_MG_6660-web.jpg" class="absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v mxa" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Manvelyan_MG_6660-web.jpg 640w, https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Manvelyan_MG_6660-web-520x389.jpg 520w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class='card__content '> <div class='mb1 pb025 mt0 h6t card__kicker'> <a class="kicker theme__accent theme__text-hover uppercase" href="/tag/evolution/">evolution</a> </div> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-surprising-origins-of-lifes-complexity-20130716/' data-toggle-hover='card'> <h3 class='card__title noe mv0 theme__accent-hover transition--color h2t'> The Surprising Origins of Life鈥檚 Complexity </h3> </a> <div class='card__meta mb0 mt025 flex flex-items-center flex-wrap'> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/authors/carl-zimmer/'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Carl Zimmer</span> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative h6'></span> <div class='card-date h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='uppercase mr1 kern small gray3'>July 16, 2013</div> <span class='o-divider o-divider--vertical mr1 relative'></span> </div> <div class='card__actions h6 flex flex-items-center mv05'> <div class='comments-button mr05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-name='comment-bubble' > <a href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-surprising-origins-of-lifes-complexity-20130716/#comments' class='flex flex-items-center pangram'> <svg viewbox='0 0 50 50' enable-background='new 0 0 50 50' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' class='o2'><title>Comment</title><path fill='currentColor' d='M9.4 4.2h31.2c8.6 0 9.4 7 9.4 15.6s-.7 15.6-9.4 15.6h-2.2l-.9 9.4-18.8-9.4H9.4c-8.6 0-9.4-7-9.4-15.6S.7 4.2 9.4 4.2z'></path></svg> <div> <span class='comments-button__count ml075 small mbold disqus-comment-count' data-disqus-identifier='4843 https://www.quantamagazine.org/?p=4843'></span> </div> </a> </div> <span class='o-divider mh075 relative'></span> <div class='relative'> <button class='bookmark-button mh05 flex flex-items-center theme__accent-hover ' data-toggle-hover='tooltip' data-id='4843' data-active-class='' aria-expanded='false'> <svg class="icon" viewbox="0 0 50 50" enable-background="new 0 0 50 50" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><title>Save Article</title><path fill="currentColor" d="M2.1 0h45.8v50L25.5 37.5 2.1 50V0z"></path></svg> </button> <div class='q-tooltip hidden force-mobile-placement w-32 ml-n16 -top-10'> <div class='q-tooltip-content'> <div class='q-tooltip-arrow -bottom-3'></div> <div class='q-tooltip-inner py-1 pl-1' role='tooltip'> <div class='h6t relative z1 uppercase kern--w mx025'> <span class='small no-wrap'>Read Later</span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='card__excerpt h5 pangram o6 mb4 mt025'> <p>Scientists are exploring how organisms can evolve elaborate structures without Darwinian selection.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='cws__divider'></div> <aside class='cws__sidebar fill-h mha'> <div class='mb2'> <h2 class='mt0'>About the author</h2> <small class='wysiwyg gray5 theme__anchors--underline'> Carl Zimmer is a science columnist for <em>The New York Times</em>. 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<h4 class='h4t mt0 mb05 medium'>The Surprising Origins of Life鈥檚 Complexity</h4> </a> <div class='byline relative flex flex-items-start merriweather mv025 mr1 gray3 h6t theme__text-hover'> <em class='byline__by gray4 mr075'>By </em> <a href='/authors/carl-zimmer'> <span class='byline__author uppercase kern light small'>Carl Zimmer</span> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='fill-h '> <div class='card-list fill-h mb05 pv05'> <a class='card-list__image' href='https://www.quantamagazine.org/scientists-seek-to-update-evolution-20161122/'> <div class='image mx0 relative image--square'> <div class='image__inner absolute fit-x is-loaded'> <img class='absolute fit-x fill-h fill-v is-loaded' src='https://www.quantamagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/DouglasFutuyama_Ft.jpg' alt=''/> </div> </div> </a> <div class='card-list__content mt2'> <a class='card-list__title theme__text theme__accent-hover transition--color ' 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