sexual reproduction makes evolutionary sense despite its complexities because it allows species to evolve new defenses against parasites. (Some lab evidence suggests that sexual reproducers fend off parasites more efficiently than asexual reproducers.) Also: biologist Leigh Van Valen's idea that a species must develop continuously just to keep [..]

Named for Lewis Carroll.s character who runs continually in order to stay in the same place. States that organisms must continually evolve, or succumb to their predators and parasites that will contin [..]

The proposition that taxa become extinct at an approximately constant rate because they fail to evolve as fast as other species with which they have antagonistic interactions. “Red Queen” more generally refers to averting extinction by evolving as fast as possible.

Hypothesis that states that the adaptive importance of genetic recombination is to create genetic variation among the offspring, which is important in confrontation with coevolving parasites.