"You're right on the point that individuals do not adapt, but populations do."
Actually, no. Individuals DO adapt. Each of us adapts...when the weather gets hot, we adjust. When noise levels go up, we adjust...have you noticed that your hearing is fuzzy after a rock concert? Or that a "hot shower" isn't so hot after you've been in there a couple minutes?
Even each individual, humble bee can adapt to change. She can switch caste fairly quickly in emergencies. That's "adapting". She can stay home in bad weather (like we are having here today)....and that's "adapting".
What the HIVE does is adapt to a new environment by making that adaptation heritable, via epigenetics.
Christina
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