Laziness might have an evolutionary advantage
Don't listen to what Charles Darwin says — "survival of the fittest" might be old news.
Researchers at the University of Kansas have theorized that species that use more energy on a daily basis are actually more likely to go extinct, compared to ones that use less. Their study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, analyzed more than 300 million species of mollusk in order to determine that species with a high metabolism were at a higher risk of going extinct than low-metabolism species.
Why mollusks? Simply because there are so many of them, CNN explained. The "sheer magnitude of data" made them a good choice to study the differences in metabolism and extinction rates.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The study's findings suggest that being "lassitudinous and sluggish" might just be the best way to ensure the long-term survival of your species, said Bruce Lieberman, the study's co-author. Using less energy to function might mean that you can survive more easily in periods when getting food, or other sources of energy, isn't easy.
However, researchers were quick to note that this might not be the best strategy for us humans — so don't quit your workout routine just yet. "You can't just decide to be lazy as an individual and expect to live longer," said Luke Strotz, the study's lead author. It's not your personal choices, but rather the tendencies of your species as a whole, that make a difference to evolution.
Although these findings are only being applied to marine life as of now, they may be able to eventually help us understand why other "lazy" species, like sloths or pandas, are still around today. Read more about this study at CNN.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Shivani is the editorial assistant at TheWeek.com and has previously written for StreetEasy and Mic.com. A graduate of the physics and journalism departments at NYU, Shivani currently lives in Brooklyn and spends free time cooking, watching TV, and taking too many selfies.
-
Ottawa climate talks: can global plastic problem be solved?
In the spotlight Nations aim to draft world's first treaty on plastic pollution, but resistance from oil- and gas-producing countries could limit scope
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Netherlands split on WFH for sex workers
Speed Read Councils concerned over 'nuisance' of at-home sex work, but others say changes will curb underground sex trade
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
'He adored Trump, and then rejected him'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Gaza hospital blast: What the video evidence shows about who's to blame
Speed Read Nobody wants to take responsibility for the deadly explosion in the courtyard of Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital. Roll the tape.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giraffe poo seized after woman wanted to use it to make a necklace
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Helicopter sound arouses crocodiles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Woman sues Disney over 'injurious wedgie'
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Emotional support alligator turned away from baseball stadium
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Europe's oldest shoes found in Spanish caves
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Artworks stolen by Nazis returned to heirs of cabaret performer
It wasn't all bad Good news stories from the past seven days
By The Week Staff Published