What is your favourite product of evolution?

[Helvetios]

Evolution certainly has come a long way from whatever was going on near those hydrothermal vents 4.2 billion years ago. There are many things I love about the natural world, but I would like to hear some of yours. It doesn't have to be an organism; it could be a physiological feature (circulatory systems are really useful), a taxonomic group, relevant chemical reaction, ecosystem, something that is beautiful to you (like the ruby throated hummingbird) or ugly (like the blobfish). Weapons, defenses, reproductive systems, communication, embryonic development, behaviour, DNA, something historical or current, whatever interests you. Sources are appreciated.

 

[Deidre]

Anthropology and modern medicine

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Discernment.

 

[jonathan180iq]

Space exploration and the study of Astrobiology.

 

[BSM1]

The strike anywhere match. But, alas, that has become extinct.

 

[Quintessence]

I don't do favorites. But I definitely do tales of evolution. This is one of my favorite stories about evolution, because it demonstrates something that us animal-centered people don't think about much, but happens all the time in the botanical realm. It is also a story that is great to pull out to call "bull $#@%" on people who claim that there are no instances of observed speciation happening.

There's a genus called Tragopogon for which there are three distinct species: porrifolius, dubius, and pratensis. These guys were introduced to the United States from Europe, and ended up existing in the same geographic area and thus had the potential to hybridize. So that's exactly what they did. Typically, these hybrids were sterile, but eventually, the plants did what plants do and went allopolyploidy on everyone. This happened often enough that it established two entirely new species that now have self-sustaining populations in the wild. All of this happening within a century of observation. Cool, huh? And the flowers are quite pretty:

 

[Revoltingest]

What is more useful than the pig!?

 

[ShivaFan]

I agree with BSM on the matches.

Mine are matches but also:

The Wheel
Horses
Camels
Ships
Airplanes
Manned Rockets and Saucers
The Automobile (gas, electric, next)
Trains
Fairies
Jet Packs
Tubes, Cable Cars etc
Microscopes, Telescopes, Binoculars, Magnifying Glass, Eye Glasses, Cameras
...and
Zippo Lighters
Clay
The Drum
Pocket Knives
Underpants and socks and Tshirts
Salt
Rice
Girls
Tea

 

[Wu Wei]

air-conditioning

 

[Twilight Hue]

Water Bears.

 

[ShivaFan]

Actually, girls are probably number one.

OMG! I forgot TWO of the most important!

 

[dust1n]

I'm always simply blown away that cells act at all, especially in given isolated realms. I'm sort of fascinated about existence on the scale of molecules. These little creatures literally mess with atoms. It's crazy.