
Evolution selects for 'loners' in slime molds - Turukawa
https://phys.org/news/2020-03-evolution-loners-behaviorat-slime-molds.html
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Noumenon72
I bet this is different for _Dictyostelium purpureum_ (a slime mold with kin
recognition), because loners that join the stalk would improve the survival of
their genes. Whereas this species, _Dictyostelium discoideum_ , will form
stalks with unrelated strangers, and thus always faces genetic pressure
creating loners and cheaters who don't sacrifice themselves to join the stalk.
It just turns out that mutating to not join the stalk mutates something else
(they don't know what) that hurts your reproduction more. Source:
[https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/us-and-them-
am...](https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/us-and-them-among-the-
slime-molds) (Carl Zimmer, 2006)

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throwaway4787
Please please _please_ don't try to transpose behavioural models from slime
molds (or any other species, really) to humans.

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sundbry
Why not? The thesis is that non-conformance is a viable evolutionary strategy
(if not usually the dominant one). It doesn't matter what particular species
you are talking about. Obviously there are degrees of non-conformamce that
would also be evolutionary dead ends or otherwise destructive.

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PaulDavisThe1st
I think it would be worthwhile to be more precise in your summary: Some level
of non-conformance among a group engaged in highly conformant behavior is a
viable evolutionary strategy for the population as a whole, but may require
coordination with the population to modulate the level of non-conformance.

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dmurray
This headline is definitely one for @justsaysinmice.

