diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 38802472..47ce3f23 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 outputs/
 outputs_os/
+__pycache__/
+*.pyc
diff --git a/select_next_parent.py b/select_next_parent.py
index 592bb378..d2d2d0d6 100644
--- a/select_next_parent.py
+++ b/select_next_parent.py
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ def select_next_parent(archive, output_dir, domains):
     """
     Selects the next parent to continue open-ended exploration.
 
+    Uses novelty-weighted selection: candidates with fewer children are
+    preferentially picked so the search explores under-explored branches
+    rather than repeatedly sampling the same parent. This is the standard
+    mechanism used by FunSearch, MAP-Elites, and AlphaEvolve to prevent
+    mode collapse during open-ended search.
+
     Args:
         archive (list): List of generations in the archive.
         output_dir (str): Output directory for the generation.
@@ -53,5 +59,13 @@ def select_next_parent(archive, output_dir, domains):
         if parent in child_counts:
             child_counts[parent] += 1
 
-    # Select parent randomly, keeping the search space open
-    return random.choice(list(candidates.keys()))
+    # Novelty-weighted selection: probability inversely proportional to
+    # (1 + child_count), so under-explored branches are preferentially picked.
+    # This prevents mode collapse where a single high-scoring parent
+    # dominates the archive's evolutionary tree.
+    weights = np.array([1.0 / (1 + child_counts[genid]) for genid in candidates])
+    weights /= weights.sum()
+
+    candidates_list = list(candidates.keys())
+    chosen = np.random.choice(candidates_list, p=weights)
+    return str(chosen)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test_select_next_parent.py b/test_select_next_parent.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..80745c7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_select_next_parent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+import random
+import pytest
+import numpy as np
+
+import select_next_parent as sp
+import utils.gl_utils as gl
+import utils.domain_utils as du
+
+
+class TestNoveltyWeightedSelection:
+    """Tests for the novelty-weighted selection logic in select_next_parent.
+
+    These tests mock the utility functions to isolate the selection algorithm.
+    """
+
+    @pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+    def _patch_utils(self, monkeypatch):
+        """Patch utility functions where they're imported in select_next_parent."""
+        self._metadata = {}
+        self._scores = {}
+
+        # Patch on the select_next_parent module's references
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sp, "is_starting_node", lambda genid: genid == "initial")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            sp,
+            "get_node_metadata_key",
+            lambda output_dir, genid, key: self._metadata.get(genid, {}).get(key),
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            sp,
+            "get_parent_genid",
+            lambda output_dir, genid: self._metadata.get(genid, {}).get("parent_genid"),
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr(
+            sp,
+            "get_saved_score",
+            lambda domain, output_dir, genid, split, type: self._scores.get(genid),
+        )
+        monkeypatch.setattr(sp, "get_domain_splits", lambda dom: ["val"])
+
+    def _setup_archive(self, archive_data):
+        """Set up test data. archive_data is list of (genid, score, parent_genid, valid_parent)."""
+        for genid, score, parent, valid in archive_data:
+            self._metadata[genid] = {
+                "valid_parent": valid,
+                "parent_genid": parent,
+            }
+            self._scores[genid] = score
+
+    def test_under_explored_parents_preferred(self, tmpdir):
+        """Candidates with fewer children should be selected more often."""
+        # gen1 has 1 child (gen3), gen2 has 0 children
+        self._setup_archive([
+            ("initial", 0.8, None, True),
+            ("gen1", 0.9, "initial", True),
+            ("gen2", 0.7, "initial", True),
+            ("gen3", 0.85, "gen1", True),
+        ])
+
+        counts = {"initial": 0, "gen1": 0, "gen2": 0, "gen3": 0}
+        np.random.seed(42)
+        for _ in range(2000):
+            parent = sp.select_next_parent(
+                archive=["initial", "gen1", "gen2", "gen3"],
+                output_dir=str(tmpdir),
+                domains=["domain_a"],
+            )
+            counts[parent] += 1
+
+        # gen2 (0 children) should be selected more often than gen1 (1 child)
+        assert counts["gen2"] > counts["gen1"], (
+            f"Expected gen2 (0 children) > gen1 (1 child), got {counts}"
+        )
+
+    def test_single_candidate_always_selected(self, tmpdir):
+        """With only one candidate, it should always be selected."""
+        self._setup_archive([
+            ("gen1", 0.5, "initial", True),
+        ])
+
+        np.random.seed(42)
+        for _ in range(10):
+            parent = sp.select_next_parent(
+                archive=["gen1"],
+                output_dir=str(tmpdir),
+                domains=["domain_a"],
+            )
+            assert parent == "gen1"
+
+    def test_equal_children_have_similar_counts(self, tmpdir):
+        """When all candidates have equal child counts, selection is roughly uniform."""
+        self._setup_archive([
+            ("gen1", 0.8, "initial", True),
+            ("gen2", 0.9, "initial", True),
+        ])
+
+        counts = {"gen1": 0, "gen2": 0}
+        np.random.seed(42)
+        for _ in range(1000):
+            parent = sp.select_next_parent(
+                archive=["gen1", "gen2"],
+                output_dir=str(tmpdir),
+                domains=["domain_a"],
+            )
+            counts[parent] += 1
+
+        # With equal weights, each should get roughly 500 (±150 at this scale)
+        assert 350 < counts["gen1"] < 650, f"Expected roughly uniform, got {counts}"
+        assert 350 < counts["gen2"] < 650, f"Expected roughly uniform, got {counts}"
+
+    def test_no_valid_candidates_raises(self, tmpdir):
+        """Should raise ValueError when no valid candidates exist."""
+        self._setup_archive([
+            ("gen1", None, "initial", True),
+        ])
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="No evaluation results found"):
+            sp.select_next_parent(
+                archive=["gen1"],
+                output_dir=str(tmpdir),
+                domains=["domain_a"],
+            )
+
+    def test_dead_code_eliminated(self):
+        """Verify that child_counts is actually used in selection.
+
+        Before the fix, child_counts was computed but never read.
+        After the fix, the function uses numpy for weighted selection
+        based on child_counts.
+        """
+        import inspect
+
+        source = inspect.getsource(sp.select_next_parent)
+        # The fixed version uses numpy for weighted selection
+        assert "np.random.choice" in source or "numpy.random.choice" in source, (
+            "select_next_parent should use weighted random selection, not random.choice"
+        )
+        # The fixed version references child_counts in the selection logic
+        assert "child_counts" in source, (
+            "child_counts should be used in the selection logic"
+        )
\ No newline at end of file