The Berkeley Evolution Site

The Berkeley site contains resources that can assist students and teachers understand and teach evolution. The materials are arranged in various learning paths that can be used in a variety of ways, such as "What does T. rex look like?"

Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection explains how animals who are better equipped to adapt biologically to a changing environment survive over time and those that don't end up becoming extinct. This process of evolution in biology is the main focus of science.

What is Evolution?

The term "evolution" can have many nonscientific meanings, such as "progress" or "descent with modification." Scientifically it refers to a process of changes in the traits of living organisms (or species) over time. In terms of biology, this change is caused by natural selection and genetic drift.

Evolution is a fundamental tenet in modern biology. It is an accepted theory that has withstood the tests of time and thousands of scientific tests. Evolution does not deal with the existence of God or religious beliefs like other scientific theories such as the Copernican or germ theory of disease.

Early evolutionists such as Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck believed that certain physical characteristics were predetermined to evolve in a step-like fashion over time. They referred to this as the "Ladder of Nature" or the scala naturae. Charles Lyell first used this term in 1833 in his Principles of Geology.

Darwin revealed his theory of evolution in his book On the Origin of Species, written in the early 1800s. It claims that different species of organisms have a common ancestry, which can be traced through fossils and other evidence. This is the modern view of evolution, and is supported by a variety of research lines in science which includes molecular genetics.

While scientists don't know exactly how organisms developed however they are sure that the evolution of life on earth is a result of natural selection and genetic drift. Individuals with advantageous characteristics are more likely to live and reproduce. These individuals then pass their genes to the next generation. Over time the gene pool gradually changes and develops into new species.

Some scientists also employ the term"evolution" to describe large-scale evolutionary changes, such as the formation of the new species from an ancestral species. Certain scientists, such as population geneticists, define the term "evolution" in a more broad sense by talking about the net change in the frequency of alleles across generations. Both definitions are correct and palatable, but certain scientists argue that allele frequency definitions miss important aspects of the evolution.

Origins of Life

One of the most crucial steps in evolution is the emergence of life. This happens when living systems begin to develop at a micro-level - within cells, for instance.

The origins of life is one of the major topics in various disciplines that include biology, chemistry, and geology. The origin of life is a subject that is of immense interest to scientists, as it challenges the theory of evolution. It is often described as "the mystery of life" or "abiogenesis."

Traditionally, the idea that life could emerge from nonliving things 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 creation of life to be a result of an entirely natural process.

Many scientists believe that it is possible to make the transition from nonliving materials to living. However, 에볼루션 바카라사이트 needed are extremely difficult to reproduce in a laboratory. Researchers investigating the nature of life are also interested in understanding the physical properties of early Earth and other planets.

The life-cycle of a living organism is dependent on a variety of complex chemical reactions, which cannot be predicted by simple physical laws. These include the transformation of long, information-rich molecules (DNA or RNA) into proteins that carry out a function, and the replication of these complex molecules to produce new DNA or sequences of RNA. These chemical reactions are often compared with the chicken-and-egg problem of how life came into existence: The appearance of DNA/RNA and protein-based cell machinery is essential for the onset of life, however, without the appearance of life the chemistry that makes it possible does not appear to work.

Research in the field of abiogenesis requires cooperation among scientists from many different disciplines. This includes prebiotic scientists, astrobiologists, and planetary scientists.

Evolutionary Changes

The term "evolution" is typically used to describe the cumulative changes in the genetic traits of an entire population over time. These changes can result from the response to environmental pressures as discussed in the entry on Darwinism (see the entry on Charles Darwin for background) or may result from natural selection.


This is a method that increases the frequency of those genes that offer a survival advantage over others and causes gradual changes in the overall appearance of a population. These changes in evolutionary patterns are caused by mutations, reshuffling genes during sexual reproduction and gene flow.

Natural selection is the process that makes beneficial mutations more common. All organisms undergo mutations and reshuffles in their genes. As previously mentioned, those with the beneficial trait have a higher reproductive rate than those who don't. This difference in the number of offspring produced over a long period of time can cause a gradual change in the number of advantageous traits within the group.

This is evident in the evolution of different beak shapes on finches from the Galapagos Islands. They have developed these beaks so they can get food more easily in their new habitat. These changes in the shape and appearance of organisms can also aid in the creation of new species.

The majority of changes are caused by a single mutation, but sometimes several occur simultaneously. Most of these changes are neutral or even harmful to the organism but a small percentage can be beneficial to survival and reproduction, thus increasing the frequency of these changes in the population over time. This is the way of natural selection, and it is able to, over time, produce the gradual changes that eventually lead to the creation of a new species.

Some people confuse the idea of evolution with the idea that traits inherited can be altered through conscious choice, or through use and abuse, a notion known as soft inheritance. This is a misinterpretation of the biological processes that lead up to the process of evolution. It is more accurate to say that evolution is a two-step, independent process that involves the forces of natural selection as well as mutation.

Origins of Humans

Modern humans (Homo sapiens) evolved from primates - a species of mammals that also includes gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos. The earliest human fossils prove that our ancestors were bipeds. They were walkers on two legs. Biological and genetic similarities indicate that we have a close relationship with the chimpanzees. In fact our closest relatives are the chimpanzees belonging to the Pan genus. This includes pygmy and bonobos. The last common human ancestor as well as chimpanzees was between 8 and 6 million years ago.

In the course of time, humans have developed a range of characteristics, including bipedalism and the use of fire. They also invented advanced tools. It's only in the last 100,000 years that we've developed the majority of our essential characteristics. They include language, a large brain, the ability to create and utilize sophisticated tools, and a cultural diversity.

Evolution occurs when genetic changes allow members of a population to better adapt to their surroundings. Natural selection is the process that triggers this adaptation. Certain characteristics are more desirable than others. People with better adaptations are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. This is how all species evolve and is the foundation of the theory of evolution.

Scientists call it 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 make it easier to survive and reproduce within their environment.

All organisms possess an molecule called DNA that holds the information needed to control their growth. The structure of DNA is composed of base pair arranged in a spiral around sugar and phosphate molecules. The sequence of bases found in each strand determines the phenotype - the distinctive appearance and behavior of a person. The variations in a population are caused by mutations and reshufflings of genetic material (known collectively as alleles).

Fossils from the early human species Homo erectus, and Homo neanderthalensis have been discovered in Africa, Asia and Europe. These fossils, despite a few differences in their appearance, all support the idea of the origins of modern humans in Africa. Evidence from fossils and genetics suggest that early humans moved out of Africa into Asia and then Europe.