best video - https://youtu.be/N3tRFayqVtk

notes from the video

• those who reproduce reproduce, those who don't, don't
• evolution converts randomness into order and complexity

as an optimization process

evolution operates on the space of short, highly expressive programs -- the genome

Five things that are essential for evolution

1. Self Replication - Reporduction
2. Blue Print - Genome
3. Inherit the Blue Print - Passed on from parents to offsprint
4. Mutation - Error rate in copying the blue print
5. Selection - Who gets to produce

From the video

1. they evolved
2. they learned to reproduce
3. they were not explicitly programmed to evolve
4. evolution converts randomness into order and complexity
5. role of mutations in the survival of the species
6. bigger brains give them a distinctive advantage
7. your neurons are valuable take care of them
8. frontal cortex and overcoming animal instincts

TODO

1. set up and explore https://github.com/davidrmiller/biosim4?tab=readme-ov-file#CodeWalkthrough
2. create a javascript version that can run in the browser
3. evolution
   1. whatever reproduces, reproduces.
   2. whatever doesn't reproduce, doesn't reproduce.
4. Neurons and brain wiring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3tRFayqVtk