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From: werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: The Red Queen
Message-ID: <741@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Dec-86 15:45:24 EST
Article-I.D.: aecom.741
Posted: Wed Dec 17 15:45:24 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Dec-86 21:10:46 EST
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Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 22


	It has often been argued that biological change (evolution, I daresay)
can occur even in the absence of environmental change.  To some this has
been used to discredit the entire evolutionary scenario.  However, it
was proposed (and I wish I know by whom) that interspecies competition may
play a more important role than previously assumed. They dubbed this
theory "The Red Queen Hypothesis", after the Red Queen's advice to Alice
in "Through the Looking Glass":  
	"Sometimes you have to run as fast as you possibly can just to 
stay in the same place."

	This (in my mind) has got to be the best-named theory in science.
And it also echoes the prefacery remarks in (again I don't remember which
text):  this book is not designed to be an introductory text.  The best
introductory text on this subject is Alice in Wonderland, but then again,
that goes for most subjects.

-- 
			      Craig Werner (MD/PhD '91)
				!philabs!aecom!werner
              (1935-14E Eastchester Rd., Bronx NY 10461, 212-931-2517)
		     "I tell you I'm a thief and you call me a liar?"