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Re:The lactose-tolerance mutation by Symmetry on Monday October 29, 2012 @11:26AM (#4712686)
When we see a trait that has no obvious fitness benefit, then it makes sense to ask if it might just be a consequence of genes that encode for other, more useful traits. But when a trait such as lactose tolerance has clear benefits for the organism there's no need to complicate the hypothesis without other evidence pointing that way.
Re:The lactose-tolerance mutation by pdog on Monday October 29, 2012 @12:51PM (#4713132)
I agree, but the mutation has a ridiculously high selection differential, one that probably can't be explained by a single factor.