Spiral of Life I: From Darwin to Today

Summary

When did life first appear on Earth? What about bacteria, plants, or animals? The Spiral of Life I mural traces our current understanding of evolution through a scientifically accurate visual representation and notes that Charles Darwin made on the many animals he observed. From Darwin’s famous observations of Galapagos finches to his fascination with beetles, the mural explores the diverse forms of life through an evolutionary perspective.

The Spiral of Life is a time-scaled modern phylogenetic tree. It uses a radial branching out of species from the last universal common ancestor in order to emphasize that evolution is not exclusively linear or vertical. It also considers the role that lateral gene transfer plays in the evolution of life.