red queen
Coevolutionary hypothesis namesake
Red queen refers to a hypothesis in evolutionary biology: species must constantly adapt and evolve not to gain advantage but simply to survive against other evolving organisms.
Named for the character in Lewis Carroll's *Through the Looking-Glass* who runs endlessly just to stay in place: It's a red queen situation—we develop new antibiotics, bacteria develop resistance.
The concept applies broadly to any competitive dynamic requiring constant effort merely to maintain position.
- wonderlandMagical place of marvels
- heartsCirculatory system engines
- chessStrategic board game
- evolutionSpecies changing over generations
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
evolutionary biology · arms race · race · running · running in place · crown · throne · playing cards · card game · croquet · tyranny · through the looking glass · mad · cruel · royalty · deck · rivalry · adaptation
- playing cardsace, jack, king, joker, deuce
- card termsace, pair, flush, king of hearts, straight
- evolutionevolution, natural selection, mutation, adaptation, speciation