Explore the concept of punctuated evolution in SARS-CoV-2 through this informative conference talk delivered at the Computational Genomics Summer Institute (CGSI) 2024. Delve into the phenomenon of saltations and their role in the virus's evolutionary trajectory. Examine key research papers, including Eldredge and Gould's work on punctuated equilibria, Nielsen et al.'s study on host heterogeneity and epistasis, and Mohebbi et al.'s investigation into early detection of emerging viral variants. Gain insights into the complex dynamics of viral evolution and the computational approaches used to analyze and predict genetic changes in SARS-CoV-2. Learn about the importance of understanding these evolutionary patterns for public health strategies and vaccine development.