Redrawing The Tree of Life

In the article called “Huge Genetic Study Redraws The Tree of Life for Flowering Plants”, research has found that the origins of flowering and fruit-bearing plants are most likely all interconnected to each other. Molecular probes were designed to detect 353 genes that are also found in angiosperms. Charles Darwin considered the abundance of angiosperms an “abominable mystery” because it was not quite clear how they emerged. However, new technology has found over 9,500 species of flowering plants to have come from a great angiosperm bloom 140 million years ago. This gives scientists a better understanding of the tree of life. 

In my opinion, having a better understanding of the tree of life can be very environmentally beneficial. This can help us improve conservation efforts, especially for plant species that might be going extinct. We can also find ways to sustainably farm fruit-bearing plants when we understand their relation to the tree of life and how they flourish. We can also use these plants for pharmaceutical research and medical practices as well.