Insects have inhabited this earth for more than half a billion years and their survival on the planet through various evolutionary changes has always perplexed scientists.
Recently a new study regarding their existence was conducted by 100 scientists belonging to 16 different countries and it was published in Science magazine. The new study was a part of the Insect Transriptome Evolution Project which examined the evolution of insects. The interest of scientists in insects stems from the fact that insects are of immense importance to us. They have negative as well as positive effects on our lives. For example, insects are responsible for spreading diseases while at the same time they also pollinate crops.
The scientists conducting the study used the latest techniques available to study the DNA of more than 140 different insects. This research was part of the field of phylogenomics, which is the intersection between the field of evolution and genomics. The scientists sequenced the genes of all the insects and used the sequencing to deduce the relationship between different insect groups. The gene sequences of all the insects were found to be similar after analysis.
The team of scientists then used the genetic information of the insects and some fossilized evidence to estimate the period during which the insects evolved. The results of the study revealed some fascinating insights into the evolution of insects.
According to the study, the origin of insects on Earth coincided with the origin of the first plants, which was approximately 500 million years ago. These earliest forms of insects are believed to be similar to modern wingless insects such as silverfish. The insects developed the ability to fly around 100 million years later and were probably the first living organisms to fly. This evolutionary change occurred because tall plants had evolved. These earliest form of flying insects are believed to be the ancestors of dragonflies and mayflies. The greatest number of insect groups originated some 350 million years ago when modern insects such as cockroaches and grasshoppers first appeared.
The study further revealed that the insects have been able to survive catastrophic events that wiped out a certain species from existence due to their quick adaptability. Due to their extremely large populations, anatomy and genes, they are able to adjust to the environmental changes quickly. This may be the reason why the mighty dinosaurs became extinct but the tiny insects have survived and are still part of this world.
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