Sean B. Carroll

Endless Forms Most Beautiful

1. IDEA 1

   Development explains evolution

   Sean B. Carroll describes evo-devo, the science that combines evolution with the study of how embryos develop. He argues that understanding how bodies are built explains how animal forms evolved.

2. IDEA 2

   Animals share a genetic toolkit

   Carroll explains that very different animals, from flies to humans, use a shared set of toolkit genes to build their bodies. These genes are ancient and widely shared. Differences between animals come from how these genes are used.

3. IDEA 3

   Hox genes map the body

   Carroll describes Hox genes, which tell different parts of an embryo what to become, such as head, chest or tail. They are arranged in a similar order in many animals.

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