S26 — Got it from someone, or came up with it

Eight species, and one feature. Click any species to give it the feature or take it away. The tree stays exactly as it is.

Predict first. Two species both have the feature. From that alone — just the two of them, and the fact that they both have it — can you tell whether one ancestor had it and passed it to both, or whether each arrived at it on its own?

Eight species

species with the feature: 0   |   fewest times it could have arisen: 0
Get to each of these:
  • two species with the feature, and it need only have arisen once
  • two species with the feature, and it must have arisen twice
You just built both. Two species, the same feature, both times — and the fewest-origins number came out differently. What made the difference?