Science Book Review: “Evolution of Beauty” by Richard Prum скачать в хорошем качестве

Science Book Review: “Evolution of Beauty” by Richard Prum

Survival of the fittest isn’t just about traits that help an organism endure its environment—it’s also about being attractive enough to be chosen as a mate, so those traits are passed on. You might think those two ideas -natural selection and sexual selection - lead to the same evolutionary development, but as this author & Charles Darwin would point out, you'd be wrong. Richard Prum’s passion for evolutionary biology and ornithology shines through every chapter, and his narrative is packed with vivid examples of birds, ducks, and other creatures whose brilliant displays defy simple survival-of-the-fittest explanations. Prum really likes ducks. What sets this book apart is its resurrection of a lesser-known insight from Charles Darwin in his lesser known book (The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex): evolution isn’t driven solely by natural selection for survival advantages, but also by sexual selection: the power of mate choice. Darwin once described “the taste for the beautiful” as a distinct evolutionary force, where aesthetic preferences in prospective mates can shape traits purely because they are found attractive. This idea — that beauty itself can drive evolutionary change — is both radical and compelling, and Prum makes a strong case that it deserves a place back in mainstream evolutionary thinking. Prum’s treatment of this theory — that mate selection and aesthetic preference can influence the course of evolution independently of survival advantages — is illuminating and eye-opening. Many of his examples, from iridescent plumage to elaborate courtship dances, help make abstract ideas feel tangible and urgent. That said, the book isn’t perfect. Some sections linger a bit long on ornithological minutiae, and toward the end the leap from bird behavior to human sexual evolution felt a touch speculative. But these quibbles aside, this is a deeply thoughtful, beautifully written exploration of evolution that left me rethinking what “fitness” really means in nature. Highly recommended for anyone curious about evolution beyond the standard narrative. Evolution of Beauty book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... Find me on Goodreads:   / chloe-kirk   Find me on social media: https://linktr.ee/Chloethescientist