What blind beetles can teach us about evolution - The Conversation

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Evolution is often perceived as being a “directional” or “adaptive” process. We often think of species evolving to become stronger or faster, or to have sharper teeth, for example. And we tend to see this as being inherently progressive.

But this is not always the case. Sometimes evolution can be regressive, such as when animals lose a trait. A classic example is cave fish or mole rats, which inhabit caves or subterranean niches, and have lost their capacity for sight.

Yet, providing a convincing argument for how regressive evolution occurs has remained a philosophical enigma, even before the advent of Darwin and Wallace’s theories of natural selection.