French Lamarckism beats Darwinism in China’s groundbreaking study on evolution
PositiveTechnology
Chinese scientists have turned evolutionary biology on its head by proving that plants can pass on traits acquired during their lifetime—without any genetic changes. In a study published in Cell, rice plants exposed to cold stress developed a tolerance that was inherited by five generations of offspring, reviving Lamarck’s long-discredited idea that environment directly shapes heredity. This challenges Darwin’s core theory that evolution relies solely on random genetic mutations.
Editor’s Note: If these findings hold up, they could rewrite textbooks. Lamarckism—the idea that giraffes stretch their necks and pass the trait to kids—was laughed at for over a century. But now, it might explain how organisms adapt faster than random DNA mutations allow. For farmers, this could mean breeding hardier crops without waiting for slow genetic luck. For science? A whole new chapter in how we think life evolves.
— Curated by the World Pulse Now AI Editorial System
