Evolution doesn't proceed in a straight line – so why draw it that way?

If you go by editorial cartoons and T-shirts, you might have the impression that evolution proceeds as an orderly march toward a preordained finish line. But that’s not right at all.

Why is evolution not a straight line? - Quora

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Evolution doesn't proceed in a straight line – so why draw it that

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Does Evolution Progress In A Straight Line? » Science ABC

Scientific method - Wikipedia

Does Evolution Progress In A Straight Line? » Science ABC

Is evolution purely a linear process, or is it more complex? - Quora