Understanding Evolution

Genetic drift


In each generation, some individuals may, just by chance, leave behind a few more descendents (and genes, of course!) than other individuals. The genes of the next generation will be the genes of the "lucky" individuals, not necessarily the healthier or "better" individuals. That, in a nutshell, is genetic drift. It happens to ALL populations — there's no avoiding the vagaries of chance.

Genetic drift

Earlier we used this hypothetical cartoon. Genetic drift affects the genetic makeup of the population but, unlike natural selection, through an entirely random process. So although genetic drift is a mechanism of evolution, it doesn't work to produce adaptations.


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