Question

'Experience of an individual during its lifetime can't be passed on to its progeny and can't direct evolution". Justify this statement giving an example.

Answer 1

Experience gained by an individual during its lifetime is part of acquired characters. Acquired traits are due to changes in the lifestyle, injury, loss of body parts, disuse of some body parts. These are the traits which occur in the somatic cells. Changes in the somatic cells are not passed on to the offspring belonging to the next generation. These changes occur in the non-reproductive tissues, these cannot be passed into the DNA of the germ cells. hence acquired characters are not inherited.

For example, even if we cut the tail of mice for generations still tailless mice is not born. As cutting of tail is an example of an acquired character which is not inherited.