Gabor Mate suggests that the standard model of evolution, for a time, essentially became religious dogma within science. To even question or expand upon it was treason. Epigenetics does not reject Darwinian evolution but expands to show that it is not all about random mutation and natural selection. Rather our genes respond to and are expressed in cooperation with environment and experience.

Two experiments - one mapped nurturing patterns of mother rats. It showed that nurturing patterns predicted rats' stress responses later in life. The shocking part is these stress responses were passed on through epigenetic factors without actually changing the genetic structure. Another experiment looked at male rats that were intentionally stressed then mated with normal females. Their children showed impaired stress responses.

It seems that our environments and experiences work with the genetic alphabet to co-create sentences so to speak.

Connections - interconnection, causation, interdependence, environmental factors

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Exploring the Biological Basis for Happiness | The World Happiness Report