Red Queen

The Red Queen is a concept from evolutionary biology that describes how species must constantly adapt and evolve to survive in a competitive environment. Named after a character in Lewis Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass," it suggests that organisms must keep running just to stay in place, as their competitors, predators, and diseases are also evolving. This ongoing struggle drives natural selection, leading to adaptations that help species survive and thrive. The idea highlights the dynamic nature of ecosystems and the relentless pressure for organisms to evolve in response to changes around them.