EARTH.COM - Evolution is taking an unexpected turn on the volcanic islands of the western Galápagos. Wild tomato plants are producing a toxic blend of chemicals that hasn’t existed in their species for millions of years.
Somehow, these plants have started making molecules more like eggplants than the modern tomato. This bizarre twist in evolution is being studied by scientists at the University of California, Riverside.
The research team describes this phenomenon as a rare case of “reverse evolution.” That term raises eyebrows in the world of biology, where evolution is typically seen as a one-way street – not a boomerang.