Escherichia Coli Support Darwin

Scientific American publishes a condensed report of a 21-year-old experiment conducted by a professor at Michigan State, which shows that E. coli are more than able to mutate and, furthermore, able to mutate in order to become more efficient and more adapted to their environmental conditions. The experiment also showed that mutations can occur at different rates and that they can be more regular or more random, though both kinds give rise to generations that are able to live and function more effectively in their new environment.

The findings will help with the study of microorganisms that cause diseases affecting humans.