In this episode we understand the Majory Evolutionary Transitions Theory (MET). MET says that the major transitions in the history of life have been driven by individual replicators coming together to form new cooperative units. These transitions have been
RNA molecules → Protocell
Prokaryotes → Eukaryotes
Single cells → Multi-cellular organisms
Organisms → Groups of organisms
Each transition caused an increase in complexity of life, and took place in four steps.
1.) Natural selection favored cooperation, the benefits of working together outweigh the cost.
2.) The burgeoning cooperative unit found a way to suppress selfish behavior, otherwise known as the free rider problem.
3.) The replicators begin to specialize for specific functions, leader to greater efficiency.
4.) The replicators became mutually interdependent on one another for reproduction, they both shared the same fate, they reproduced or died together. This formed a new unit of biological organization which natural selection acts upon.
