Evolutionary Physiology. On stability and change in living beings.

The vast diversity of living forms we have the privilege to admire is so articulate that it lends itself only loosely to our frequently clumsy and ambiguous attempts at classification. Big organisms live alongside single microscopic unicellular structures. Such a wide variety of forms exhibits a deep unity of architecture based on universal qualities. Among these, perhaps the most intriguing are the long evolutionary history and the ability for self-organization. In other words, life is made of ‘complex historical objects’. Although little is known about the fauna that inhabited our earth in remote eras, it was undoubtedly distinct from what exists today. The sparse paleontological discoveries and the remains of extinct animals are the only anatomical reference, like a narrow needle eye embroidering past phenotypes and explaining the present. Furthermore, reconstructing biological functions and tracing the streams of physiology through evolution needs working with empty hands, indirect evidence and fragile suggestions.