Zimmer on "Spore"
In today's Times, Carl Zimmer writes about the upcoming release of the Sims-gone-evolutionary-biology-style. Ditch the 2.1 kids and the built community--it's time to create a herd of rapidly evolving creatures and to test your evolutionary adaptations against the environment.
Wait--let me explain. As Carl explains, scientists of all kinds for many years have used computers to test models of evolutionary biology and their theories. Everyone from the Duke researcher who used Facebook or the countless of other scientists who have built other software, Spore now brings evolution mainstream.
Who cares if the science isn't accurate? I mean, a super-long neck combined with kangaroo legs? But then, who wouldn't want to create an animal with a prehensile tail to help pick things up without having to bend over or wings? Or "DNA points"? Personally, I'm digging Santana's (yes, THE Santana) Spore creation. The evolutionary adaptation? I bet that dragon can play some mean guitar with all those extra arms. 
Want to read more? Check out Carl's blog, The Loom, to see an interview with the creators of spore. Meanwhile, I'm counting the minutes until I can get my DNA points and evolve into something even wilder than Santana's wild thing.
Summer Johnson, PhD
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