#  Evolution in Real Time 

 





February 01, 2019

 

 

- [ News ](/news-categories/news)
 
 

 

 Set in Nebraska's Sand Hills, an on-going study led by Rowan Barrett (McGill University, former Postdoc, Hoekstra Lab) and **Hopi Hoekstra** shows evolution in real time. Hundreds of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) were released into massive, custom-built outdoor enclosures to track how light- and dark-colored mice survived in light- and dark-colored habitats.

 The results, published in [Science](http://science.sciencemag.org/content/363/6426/499), reveals real-time evolution in one generation and pinpoints a genetic mutation related to survival in the gene, *Agouti,* which specifically affects pigmentation. The study is the first of its kind to replicate previous work with microbes in a lab in real time with vertebrates in a natural environment. Media: *[The Harvard Gazette](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2019/02/harvard-study-captures-clear-picture-of-how-evolution-works-in-vertebrates/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Gazette%202-11-19%20(1))*, *[The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/01/unprecedentedly-thorough-evolution-experiment/581521/), [NOVA](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/evolution-in-real-time-mice/)*, *[Science Daily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190131143355.htm)*, *[McGill University](https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/evolution-illustrated-293922) , [HHMI News](https://www.hhmi.org/news/a-grand-experiment-in-nebraskas-sand-hills-shows-evolution-in-the-wild)*

#####  ***Image: Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) courtesy of Hopi Hoekstra***



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Faculty News ](/news-type/faculty-news)
- [ 2019 ](/news-year/2019)