Several years ago, parts of the southern United States experienced a severe winter. Researchers found that, in just one winter, a species of lizard “evolved a greater tolerance to cold.” They were shocked at how fast “evolution” happens.

But is this really evolution? No, it’s not. The lizards remained lizards, and they didn’t gain any new genetic information. This is simply adaptation and natural selection using genetic variety that already exists! Selection pressures, like this cold snap, force a species to adapt using this genetic variety. But nothing new is ever added so it’s not evolution, it’s just, well, lizards!