This article discusses a new study of chickens overturns the popular assumption that evolution is only visible over long time scales. By studying individual chickens that were part of a long-term pedigree, the scientists led by Professor Greger Larson at Oxford University's Research Laboratory for Archaeology, found two mutations that had occurred in the mitochondrial genomes of the birds in only 50 years. Scientists have believed that the rate of change in the mitochondrial genome was never faster than about 2% per million years. The identification of these mutations shows that the rate of evolution in this pedigree is in fact 15 times faster. In addition, by determining the genetic sequences along the pedigree, the team also discovered a single instance of mitochondrial DNA being passed down from a father. The study lead author Dr. Michelle Alexander, from the University of York, said: 'The one thing everyone knew about mitochondria is that it is almost exclusively passed down the maternal line, but we identified chicks who inherited their mitochondria from their father, meaning so-called 'paternal leakage' can happen in avian populations. Both of these findings demonstrate the speed and dynamism of evolution when observed over short time periods.

This article is relevant because of the expansive research being conducted on the process of evolution. Evolution is one of the most revolutionary concepts in modern biology through the idea of preferable genes in nature that explains the types of animals that thrive in different environments. This also opens a new door for first hand studies that can be conducted over a much shorter time frame than decades of time in between. This will allow for more controlled data with less confounding variables that could corrupt the results of the experiments. The fact that many people still refuse to believe in evolution also displays the importance of collecting more data and putting up a more convincing argument with factual data from a controlled experiment.

This article did a very good job of explaining how these results were important. It also moved through the facts in a logical order. The one thing the article could have done better was explain the significance of these findings. The only reason I was able to connect this to the world was because of my own knowledge and inferences based on my knowledge of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. The purpose of sharing all this information is to actually make use of it and come to a conclusion. The fact that the actual practical use of this information is missing is a major pieces missing from this article.