7-minute read
keywords: evolution, popular science
Back in 2019, I reviewed Daniel S. Milo’s book Good Enough which was a critique of adaptationist storytelling. For organisms to survive, evolution by natural selection does not, and need not always result in perfect adaptations. Here, I revisit this topic with a double review of, first, Andy Dobson’s Flaws of Nature and, next, Telmo Pievani’s Imperfection. There is plenty more to this thought-provoking idea and Dobson will reel you right in: “It’s evolution, but not the Greatest Hits” (p. 16).