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The Berkeley site has resources that can help students and teachers to understand and teach about evolution. The materials are arranged into different learning paths, such as "What did T. rex taste like?"

Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection explains how animals that are better equipped to adapt to changes in their environment survive over time and those that do not disappear. Science is concerned with this process of evolution.

What is Evolution?

The term "evolution" can be used to refer to a variety of nonscientific meanings. For example, it can mean "progress" and "descent with modifications." Scientifically, it is a term used to describe a change in the characteristics of organisms (or species) over time. In biological terms, this change is due to natural selection and genetic drift.

Evolution is one of the fundamental tenets of modern biology. It is a theory that has been verified by a myriad of scientific tests. Contrary to other theories of science like the Copernican theory or the germ theory of disease, the evolution theory is not a discussion of religious belief or God's existence.


Early evolutionists such as Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck believed that certain physical characteristics were predetermined to change in a gradual manner over time. This was known as the "Ladder of Nature", or scala Naturae. Charles Lyell first used this term in 1833 in his Principles of Geology.

Darwin published his theory of evolution in his book On the Origin of Species which was written in the early 1800s. It asserts that different species of organisms share a common ancestry, which can be determined through fossils and other evidence. This is the current perspective of evolution, which is supported in a wide range of disciplines which include molecular biology.

While scientists do not know the exact mechanism by which organisms evolved, they are confident that the evolution of life on earth is a result of natural selection and genetic drift. Individuals with advantageous characteristics are more likely than others to survive and reproduce. These individuals pass on their genes to the next generation. Over time, this results in a gradual accumulation of changes to the gene pool, which eventually result in new species and forms.

Some scientists employ the term evolution in reference to large-scale changes, like the formation of a species from an ancestral one. Other scientists, such as population geneticists, define the term "evolution" more broadly by referring to an overall change in the frequency of alleles across generations. Both definitions are acceptable and precise, although some scientists argue that the allele-frequency definition omits crucial aspects of the evolutionary process.

Origins of Life

The most important step in evolution is the appearance of life. The beginning of life takes place when living systems begin to develop at a microscopic scale, for instance within individual cells.

The origins of life are an issue in a variety of disciplines such as geology, chemistry, biology and chemistry. The nature of life is a subject of great interest in science because it is a challenge to the theory of evolution. It is often referred to as "the mystery of life" or "abiogenesis."

Traditionally, the notion that life could emerge from nonliving objects is known as spontaneous generation, or "spontaneous evolution." This was a popular view before Louis Pasteur's experiments proved that it was impossible for the development of life to happen through a purely natural process.

Many scientists believe it is possible to transition from living to nonliving substances. However, the conditions that are required are extremely difficult to reproduce in labs. Researchers studying the origins of life are also interested in understanding the physical properties of the early Earth and other planets.

Furthermore, the growth of life depends on an intricate sequence of chemical reactions that cannot be predicted based on basic physical laws alone. These include the reading and the replication of complex molecules, like DNA or RNA, in order to make proteins that perform a specific function. These chemical reactions can be compared with the chicken-and-egg issue: the emergence and development of DNA/RNA, protein-based cell machinery, is essential for the onset life. Although without life, the chemistry required to create it does appear to work.

Research in the area of abiogenesis requires cooperation among scientists from a variety of disciplines. This includes prebiotic chemists, astrobiologists, planetary scientists geophysicists and geologists.

Evolutionary Changes

The word evolution is usually used to describe the accumulated changes in genetic characteristics of an entire population over time. These changes could result from adaptation to environmental pressures as discussed in the entry on Darwinism (see the entry on Charles Darwin for background), or from natural selection.

This is a method that increases the frequency of genes in a species that confer a survival advantage over others which results in a gradual change in the overall appearance of a group. These evolutionary changes are caused by mutations, reshuffling of genes during sexual reproduction, and the flow of genes.

While reshuffling and 에볼루션 무료체험 Links to an external site. of genes happen in all living things The process through which beneficial mutations become more common is referred to as natural selection. This is because, as we've mentioned earlier those who have the beneficial trait tend to have a higher reproductive rate than those with it. This differential in the number of offspring produced over a number of generations could cause a gradual change in the average number of beneficial characteristics in the group.

This is evident in the evolution of different beak designs on finches that are found in the Galapagos Islands. They have developed these beaks in order they can get food more easily in their new habitat. These changes in form and shape can also aid in the creation of new species.

The majority of changes are caused by a single mutation, although sometimes multiple occur simultaneously. The majority of these changes are neutral or even harmful to the organism but a small percentage can be beneficial to the survival of the organism and its reproduction, thereby increasing the frequency of these changes in the population over time. This is the way of natural selection and it could eventually result in the accumulating changes that eventually lead to a new species.

Some people confuse the idea of evolution with the notion that the traits inherited from parents can be changed through conscious choice, or through use and abuse, which is known as soft inheritance. This is a misinterpretation of the biological processes that lead to evolution. A more accurate description is that evolution is a two-step procedure that involves the distinct, and often competing, forces of mutation and natural selection.

Origins of Humans

Humans today (Homo sapiens) evolved from primates - a species of mammals that also includes chimpanzees and gorillas and bonobos. Our predecessors walked on two legs, as shown by the earliest fossils. Biological and genetic similarities indicate that we share a close relationship with Chimpanzees. In fact, our closest relatives are the chimpanzees belonging to the Pan genus. This includes pygmy as well as bonobos. The last common human ancestor and chimpanzees lived between 8 and 6 million years ago.

In the course of time humans have developed a variety of traits, including bipedalism as well as the use of fire. They also invented advanced tools. It is only within the last 100,000 years that we've developed the majority of our important traits. These include language, large brain, the ability to build and use complex tools, as well as the ability to adapt to cultural differences.

The process of evolution occurs when genetic changes enable members of a group to better adapt to the environment. Natural selection is the mechanism that drives this adaptation. Certain traits are preferred over others. The ones with the best adaptations are more likely to pass their genes to the next generation. This is the way all species evolve and is the foundation for the theory of evolution.

Scientists refer to this as the "law of natural selection." The law says that species that share a common ancestor tend to develop similar traits over time. This is because these traits help them to live and reproduce in their environment.

All organisms have DNA molecules, which provides the information necessary to direct their growth and development. The DNA structure is composed of base pair arranged in a spiral around phosphate and sugar molecules. The sequence of bases within each strand determines phenotype or the individual's unique appearance and behavior. The variations in a population are caused by mutations and reshufflings of genetic material (known collectively as alleles).

Fossils of the first human species, Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis have been discovered in Africa, Asia, and Europe. While there are some differences between them they all support the hypothesis that modern humans first appeared in Africa. Evidence from fossils and genetics suggest that early humans came from Africa into Asia and then Europe.