Evolutionary changes in organisms that enhance survival in specific environments. Also refers to creative works modified from one medium to another, such as novels adapted into films.
From Latin 'adaptare' (ad- 'to' + aptare 'to fit'), meaning 'to fit to.' The biological sense developed in the 19th century with Darwin's evolutionary theory, while the creative sense emerged as media forms proliferated in the 20th century.
It's fascinating that we use the same word for a polar bear's thick fur and turning Harry Potter into a movie - both involve taking something existing and reshaping it to thrive in a new environment. Evolution and Hollywood follow surprisingly similar principles of survival through modification.
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