Evolutionary science for a changing world
This discussion paper explains how evolutionary science can help society tackle some of its most pressing challenges.
Evolutionary science is the study of change. It underpins our ability to understand how living and non-living systems adapt and innovate.
This report shows how evolutionary science remains relevant today. Its power lies in the simplicity of the basic evolutionary principle: the selection of variants over successive trials creates change in populations of organisms, technologies, languages and economies.
Four case studies show that the benefits of evolutionary science extend well beyond the traditional domain of biological systems and far beyond the academic sciences. They show that evolving systems are best understood by bringing together classic evolutionary theory and experimental evolution with mathematics, philosophy and data science.
Australia has strengths in all these areas, yet this expertise has remained largely disconnected. This report identifies broad opportunities for connecting and growing Australia’s evolutionary science capabilities in the immediate future. It aims to stimulate dialogue between scientists and educators with a common interest in understanding evolving systems in a rapidly changing world.
About this report
This report was prepared by a working group of mid-career academics through the Australian Academy of Science’s National Committee for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (NCEEC) and National Committee for History and Philosophy of Science (NCHPS).
It was initiated by the NCEEC, building on discussions and ideas explored through the 2019 workshop, Evolutionary science for a changing world, which examined the role of evolutionary science in addressing complex environmental and societal challenges.
