Abstract
Mice and Evolution.—Following a summary of recent results of the irradiation of animals by X-rays and its effect upon inheritance of characters, N. Dobrovolskaïa-Zavadskaïa has discussed his own experiments upon 35 breeding mice (Biol. Rev. and Biol. Proc. Cambridge Phil. Soc., vol. 4, October 1929, p. 327). In a progeny numbering about 3000, only two mutations were discovered, and these, having already been found apart from irradiation, are regarded as manifestations of pre-existing latent states brought to light under the influence of the rays. The rays can scarcely, therefore, he looked upon as a real cause of mutations, as has been alleged. On the resuits of these relatively few experiments, the author has the temerity to base a theory of evolution, a hypothesis of stable species with single changeable individuals, which are the source of new forms. This hypothesis conceives evolution to be based on three foundations: (1) Stability of existing species as the expression of the conservative principle of life; (2) variability of single individuals as the manifestation of the creative power in Nature; and (3) natural selection as the sifting out of the adapted species. We cannot comment on these conclusions in this note, but on general grounds we deprecate the building up of wide theories upon artificial experiments without any reference to the course of events in Nature. Although species are of the essence of the theory, the species of mouse experimented with here is not even named.
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Our Astronomical Column. Nature 124, 854 (1929). https://doi.org/10.1038/124854a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/124854a0