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SUMMARY:The evolution of (almost) everything - Armand Leroi\; Imperial Col
 lege London\, UK
DTSTART:20240213T160000Z
DTEND:20240213T170000Z
UID:TALK205627@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:116233
DESCRIPTION:Artefacts\, species and genes have this in common:  they are e
 xtremely diverse - a diversity that is the result of what Darwin called "d
 escent with modification". In other words\, they evolve. If that's so\, th
 en it seems that we should be able to study their dynamics\, and the force
 s that shape them\, using many of the same tools.  In this talk\, I'll foc
 us on the evolution of modern culture. Using various time-series models\, 
 I'll argue that many kinds of modern culture - pop-music\, books\, medicin
 e - are surprisingly conservative.  But also how directional cultural sele
 ction shapes the thing we love most:  the science we do.  I'll finish by a
 lluding to how these same tools can be used to study the dynamics of biolo
 gical communities. My message is that there is a general theory of evoluti
 on that embraces everything except\, perhaps\, rocks and the stars.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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