Access

News and Views

Nature 441, 291-292 (18 May 2006) | doi:10.1038/441291a; Published online 17 May 2006

Sociobiology: The Phoenix effect

Kevin R. Foster1

Top

A spore-forming bacterium can escape from social collapse and extinction with a single mutation that has a dramatic effect. Here is evidence that a cooperative system can recover from the very brink of destruction.

Where there is society, there are cheaters that threaten to ruin it. The evolution of such selfish behaviour can destroy cooperation, and may even drive a species to extinction1.

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.

NEWS AND VIEWS

Evolution Bacterial cheaters

Nature News and Views (06 Apr 2000)