Evolution of the Eye

[Sophus]

This is about a question I have on evolution that I find absolutely fascinating. Perhaps scientists don't yet know the answer because simpler organisms such as bacteria don't fossilize often (am I wrong?) and even then you can't know all there is to know about that organism. Recently I watched a YouTube video by Richard Dawkins on the evolution of the eye. He masterfully explains how an eye can become more complex as well as how a very basic organ for perceiving light crudely can still be beneficially. This concept of a simple organ evolving into a more complex organ with the same task is easy for me to comprehend. What I find more fun to think about is how the basis for the beginning of light perception would first come about.

Do we know when a simple organism first began to use some feature to perceive light and/or how that sense would come about? For example, is it more likely to have come about due to a mutation in an organ/tissue/whatever which was originally intended for a different purpose, as we know can happen often throughout evolution? Or would the ability to perceive light have been a brand new feature on its own, added in some other way?

[hismikeness]

This is about a question I have on evolution that I find absolutely fascinating. Perhaps scientists don't yet know the answer because simpler organisms such as bacteria don't fossilize often (am I wrong?) and even then you can't know all there is to know about that organism. Recently I watched a YouTube video by Richard Dawkins on the evolution of the eye. He masterfully explains how an eye can become more complex as well as how a very basic organ for perceiving light crudely can still be beneficially. This concept of a simple organ evolving into a more complex organ with the same task is easy for me to comprehend. What I find more fun to think about is how the basis for the beginning of light perception would first come about.

Do we know when a simple organism first began to use some feature to perceive light and/or how that sense would come about? For example, is it more likely to have come about due to a mutation in an organ/tissue/whatever which was originally intended for a different purpose, as we know can happen often throughout evolution? Or would the ability to perceive light have been a brand new feature on its own, added in some other way?

There was a great 11 part series called Evolve on the History Channel a few years back. The first episode was Eyes.

It has been a while since I watched it, but I remember the show mentioning the same thing, that the eye first evolved from basic light sensing groups of cells in to the complex eyes of animals today.

The really intriguing part is (again, if I remember correctly) is that the show says the eye has evolved independently on three different branches of the evolutionary tree, which they say explains the vast differences in eyes of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects.

The entire series is highly recommended.

Hismikeness

[Sophus]

The really intriguing part is (again, if I remember correctly) is that the show says the eye has evolved independently on three different branches of the evolutionary tree, which they say explains the vast differences in eyes of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects.

It seems this is not too uncommon of thing to occur in evolution. I recall reading about two species of fire ants that actually evolved on two different continents all on their own. And again, a similar case with earth worms.

It has been a while since I watched it, but I remember the show mentioning the same thing, that the eye first evolved from basic light sensing groups of cells in to the complex eyes of animals today.

Do we know how these light sensitive cells came about? Or am I drifting off into Abiogenesis? It's also interesting to think about how basic blind organisms would find food/energy.

Thanks very much for the History Channel series recommendation.