convergent evolution

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is an example of convergent evolution, in which something functional emerges entirely separately.

From Salon

“New fossils are showing more and more cases of convergent evolution,” Aureliano says, suggesting that part of what made dinosaurs so successful was this repeated development of key traits.

From Scientific American

For Liao, seeing that birds whose ancestors long ago diverged from those of primates on the branching evolutionary tree of life—also appear to be able to parse and generate recursive sequences implies that this capacity is “evolutionary ancient” or that it developed independently as a product of what is known as convergent evolution.

From Scientific American

Seeing so many lineages of the coronavirus develop similar constellations of genetic changes at these spots is a sign of convergent evolution — when different versions of the virus have slammed into the wall of immune defenses in the human population, and then come up with similar ways to get around them.

From Seattle Times

Despite their different origins, several of the new strains have chanced upon a similar combination of mutations to help scale the wall of immunity—a striking example of convergent evolution.

From Science Magazine