Major Transitions in Evolution

* Book: Major Transitions in Evolution. by John Maynard Smith and Eörs Szathmáry. Oxford University Press, 1995

URL = Wikipedia

"may be the most important book on evolution since R.A. Fisher's". [1]

Description

David Sloan Wilson:

"Eörs Szathmáryis best-known in the world of evolutionary biology for a book he co-wrote with John Maynard Smith, titled The Major Transitions in Evolution.‍ It was the first comprehensive explanation of the processes through which life has increased in complexity over billions of years, from its origin as the simplest protocells, to prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells, multicellular organisms, eusocial animal colonies, and ultrasocial human groups.

Major evolutionary transitions have two central dimensions of change. One is cooperation. They occur when simpler individual entities find new ways to cooperate in more complex groups that eventually evolve into higher-level organisms. The second is information. To manage and regulate higher levels of complexity, they find new ways to store, use, and transmit information.

In all the major transition before humans, that information exists in the biological realm, taking such forms as genes, chromosomes, and epigenetic networks. In human groups that information exists in the cultural realm, taking symbolic forms such as spoken language, written language, and digital media of all varieties today."

(https://www.humanenergy.io/science-of-the-noosphere-series/major-evolutionary-transitions)

Overview of past Transitions

From the Wikipedia:

Transitions "from ... to ..." :

1. Replicating molecules to: "Populations" of molecules in compartments" Can't observe
2. Independent replicators (probably RNA) to Chromosomes RNA world hypothesis
3. RNA as both genes and enzymes to: DNA as genes; proteins as enzymes
4. Prokaryotes to: Eukaryotes Can observe
5. Asexual clones to: Sexual populations Evolution of sex
6. Protists to: Multicellular organisms — animals, plants, fungi Evolution of multicellularity
7. Solitary individuals, to: Colonies with non-reproductive castes Evolution of eusociality
8. Primate societies, to: Human societies with language, enabling memes Sociocultural evolution

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Major_Transitions_in_Evolution Wikipedia)

Characteristics

From the Wikipedia:

"Maynard Smith and Szathmáry identified several properties common to the transitions:

1. Smaller entities have often come about together to form larger entities. e.g. Chromosomes, eukaryotes, sex multicellular colonies.
2. Smaller entities often become differentiated as part of a larger entity. e.g. DNA & protein, organelles, anisogamy, tissues, castes
3. The smaller entities are often unable to replicate in the absence of the larger entity. e.g. DNA, chromosomes, Organelles, tissues, castes
4. The smaller entities can sometimes disrupt the development of the larger entity, e.g. Meiotic drive (selfish non-Mendelian genes), parthenogenesis, cancers, coup d’état
5. New ways of transmitting information have arisen, e.g. DNA-protein, cell heredity, epigenesis, universal grammar."

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Major_Transitions_in_Evolution Wikipedia)

More information

Recommended alternative read for the broader public, as the above is meant for a scientific public:

• Maynard Smith, John; Szathmáry, Eörs (2000). The origins of life : from the birth of life to the origin of language (1st ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press