"Hybridization Drives Rapid Evolution of 500+ Fish Species in Single Lake"

Over 500 species of cichlid fish in Lake Victoria have rapidly evolved within just 16,000 years through hybridization, challenging the traditional understanding of evolution. Scientists discovered that these diverse species originated from three lineages that arrived in the lake and interbred, generating a wide array of hybrids that eventually evolved into different species. This phenomenon challenges the assumption that hybrids are an evolutionary dead-end and highlights the potential benefits of genetic diversity through hybridization in various species, including humans.