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The idea of evolution extends beyond these realms, encompassing oceans, atmospheres, planetary processes, and even human culture—technology, arts, and language. The core principles of evolution apply universally: systems characterized by interactions, variation, and selection.
Systems Are Conceptually Similar: Interacting Components, Variation, and Selection
The key to understanding how diverse systems evolve lies in recognizing their structural similarities. First, these systems contain many interacting components—atoms and molecules, genes, musical notes, words, or computer code—that can combine and reconfigure in numerous ways. This vast configuration space provides the raw material for evolution.