Developmental adaptation refers to the ability of an organism to modify its phenotype in response to environmental exposures over the course of growth and development. There are many examples of developmental adaptation within anthropology, including studies that evaluate the impacts of early life environments on phenotypes such as lung volume, stature, the immune system, and reproductive hormones. In addition to helping organisms become better adapted to their environment, developmental adaptation may be an important mechanism for facilitating evolutionary change. There is now great interest in the potential for epigenetic modifications to facilitate developmental adaptation.