dev·o·lu·tion noun ËŒdevəˈlüshÉ™n also -vÉ™lˈyü-
2 a : descent or passage through a series (as of stages in development)
b : retrograde evolution : degeneration
A catastrophic devolution of a species is often self-imposed, a nuclear Armageddon a common point on the timeline that must be successfully crossed. External forces like natural mass extinction events usually end the species altogether, whether they come from an asteroid strike, a star going supernova, or a biological event. On the other hand, an orchestrated external event that forces a devolution without extinction is not something a species anticipates facing. A recovery from all these events is possible when the devolution only involves a loss of knowledge, but when it becomes a literal devolution of the genetic material, a restoration to the original becomes nearly impossible. From my perspective as a geneticist, an approximate restoration to the original is even a feat nearing impossibility.
