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A comment on Cod Have Been Shrinking for Decades, Scientists Say They've Solved Mystery. Parent comment

Re:Cod Have Been Shrinking for Decades, Scientists Say They'... by hungmung on Saturday July 05, 2025 @07:02PM (#44476252)
> Is being bigger Platonically better than being smaller?

Maybe, most animals evolve towards larger sizes. Except on smallish islands, where they tend to become smaller.

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Re:Cod Have Been Shrinking for Decades, Scientists Say They'... by thaumasiotes on Saturday July 05, 2025 @11:20PM (#44477552)
> Maybe, most animals evolve towards larger sizes.

This is not even a little bit true.

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Re:Cod Have Been Shrinking for Decades, Scientists Say They'... by masklinn on Sunday July 06, 2025 @07:19AM (#44479720)
> Maybe, most animals evolve towards larger sizes.

Animals tend towards whatever size lets them maximise survival. This is based on available niches and other selective pressures.

> Except on smallish islands, where they tend to become smaller.

Island syndrome leads to both gigantism and dwarfism.

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Re:Cod Have Been Shrinking for Decades, Scientists Say They'... by fpoling on Sunday July 06, 2025 @08:38AM (#44480270)
> Animals tend towards whatever size lets them maximise survival.

Evolution is a filter that removes unfit, it does not select the best fit. So a lot of mutations that slightly decreases fitness for the environment stay as they do not make an organism too unfit. This results in a gen pool diversity in a population that helps to survive if the environment changes as previously somewhat harmful mutations can be essential for survival in the new situation.

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