[seandhuine]

Right at the end of all that, there's an IOU for a molecular explanation of puntuated equilibrium. How is the IOU cashed out? Oh, "transcription errors" plus some non-molecular magic. Transcription errors...think about that. Gradual errors (which are nearly always either neutral or deleterious -- in the real world, mind) that suddenly operate over a very short period to create a new species. Let me attempt to paraphrase the motivation for PE: "We can't see it happening because it's gradual, but it needs a catastrophe oh there it just happened!" Or it must have, because reasons. Errors, or something. Fairy dust.