Simons Foundation Lectures
Biology: Mechanisms of Evolution
The 2025 lecture series in biology is “Mechanisms of Evolution.” Evolution drove the incredible diversity of life on our planet. In this series, scientists will explore the underlying mechanisms that drive evolutionary change. Topics will include evolutionary adaptation, speciation, the dynamics of host-microbe interactions and more. By examining a wide range of organisms, these lectures will provide insights into how evolutionary processes have produced the complex web of life we see today.
Upcoming Lectures
The Evolution of Darwin’s Finches
Peter Grant and Rosemary Grant, Ph.D.Professors Emeritus, Princeton University

Past Lectures
RNA-Guided Natural Genome Editing and the Emergence of Complex Genomes
Laura Landweber, Ph.D.Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and of Biological Sciences, Columbia University

- Lecture
Real and Not Just Hopeful Monsters: Evolution by Very Large Jumps
Dmitri Petrov, Ph.D.Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of Biology, Stanford University

- Lecture
- Watch Video