Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution

Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions persist about the evolution. People who have taken in pop science nonsense often assume that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.

This site, which is a companion to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources which support evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions which hinder it. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.

Definitions

Evolution is a complicated and difficult subject matter to teach effectively. Many non-scientists are unable to grasp the concept, and some scientists even use a definition which confuses it. This is particularly relevant when it comes to the nature of the words themselves.

It is therefore crucial to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in a simple and efficient way. The website is a companion to the show that premiered in 2001, but it also functions as an independent resource. The material is presented in a structured manner that makes it easier to navigate and understand.

The site defines terms such as common ancestor, gradual process and so on. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution as well as its relationship to other scientific concepts. The site provides an overview of the ways the concept of evolution has been examined. This information will help to dispel the myths created by creationists.

It is also possible to access a glossary of terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:

Adaptation: The tendency for hereditary traits to become more adaptable to a specific environment. This is due to natural selection. It occurs when organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.

Common ancestor (also called common ancestor): The most recent ancestor that is shared by two or more species. By studying the DNA of these species, it is possible to determine the common ancestor.

Deoxyribonucleic acid: A large biological molecule that contains information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotides arranged in sequences that are strung together into long chains, also known as chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information in cells.

Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which the evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution are the interactions between predator and prey or parasite and host.

Origins

Species (groups which can interbreed) develop through a series natural changes in their offspring's traits. The causes of these changes are numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like climate changes or competition for food resources and habitat, can slow or accelerate the process.

The Evolution site traces through time the emergence of various animal and plant groups, focusing on major transitions within each group's past. It also focuses on human evolution, which is a topic that is of particular interest to students.


When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. Among them was the famous skullcap and the associated bones discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany that is now thought as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap, which was first published in 1858, one year following the initial edition of The Origin. Origin.

While 에볼루션 is focused on biology, it also contains a wealth of information about geology and paleontology. The site offers a number of features that are especially impressive, such as the timeline of how climate and geological conditions have changed over the course of time. It also includes a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.

While the site is a companion piece to a PBS television show, it also stands on its own as a valuable source for teachers and students. The site is extremely well-organized and offers clear links between the introductory content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more sophisticated components of the museum's Web site. These hyperlinks help users move from the enthralling cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. Particularly, there are links to John Endler's experiments with Guppies, which demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.

Diversity

The evolution of life has resulted in many species of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures in their natural environment offers many advantages over modern observational or research methods for exploring evolutionary processes. In addition to examining processes and events that occur regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology allows to analyze the relative abundance of various kinds of organisms as well as their distribution across the geological time.

The site is divided up into several options to learn about evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," guides the user through the nature and evidence of evolution. The course also focuses on common misconceptions about evolution and the history of evolutionary thought.

Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-developed, and includes materials that can be used to support a variety of curriculum levels and teaching styles. The site includes a variety of interactive and multimedia content that include video clips, animations and virtual laboratories, in addition to its general textual content. The content is laid out in a nested bread crumb-like fashion that helps with navigation and orientation on the Web site.

The page "Coral Reef Connections", for example, gives a brief overview of coral relationships, their interaction with other organisms and then is enlarged to show a single clam, which is able communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in water conditions that occur on the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the site, offer an excellent introduction to the broad spectrum of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an overview of the importance of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is a crucial method to understand evolutionary changes.

Evolutionary Theory

For biology students, evolution is a key thread that weaves together all branches of the field. A rich collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.

One resource, which is the companion to PBS's television show Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of an Web page that provides the depth and the wide range of educational resources. The site offers a variety of interactive learning modules. It also has an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this large Web site closer to the field of research science. For instance an animation that introduces the idea of genetic inheritance connects to a page that highlights John Endler's experiments in artificial selection with guppies from the native ponds of Trinidad.

The Evolution Library on this website contains a large multimedia library of resources that are associated to evolution. The contents are organized into courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives set out in the standards for biology. It contains seven videos that are designed for classroom use. These can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.

Many important questions remain in the midst of evolutionary biology, including what triggers evolution and how fast it occurs. This is particularly applicable to human evolution which has made it difficult to reconcile the notion that the innate physical characteristics of humans were derived from apes, and the religious beliefs that claim that humanity is unique among living things and has an exclusive place in the creation with soul.

In addition, there are a number of ways in which evolution could be triggered and natural selection is the most widely accepted theory. However, scientists also study other kinds of evolution, such as mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among others.

While many fields of scientific study have a conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, evolution biology has been a source of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have embraced their beliefs with evolution, but others haven't.