The Berkeley Evolution Site<br /><br />The Berkeley site offers resources that can assist students and teachers learn about and teach evolution. The materials are arranged into different learning paths like "What did T. rex taste like?"<br /><br />Charles Darwin's theory on natural selection describes how species who are better equipped to adapt to changes in their environments survive longer and those that do not end up becoming extinct. Science is concerned with the process of biological evolution.<br /><br />What is Evolution?<br /><br />The term "evolution" could be used to refer to a variety of nonscientific meanings. For instance, it can mean "progress" and "descent with modifications." Scientifically, it is a term used to describe a changes in the traits of living things (or species) over time. This change is based in biological terms on natural selection and drift.<br /><br />Evolution is an important concept in modern biology. It is a concept that has been tested and confirmed by a myriad of scientific tests. Evolution doesn't deal with spiritual beliefs or God's presence in the same way as other theories of science, such as the Copernican or germ theory of diseases.<br /><br />Early evolutionists, like Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Erasmus Darwin (Charles's grandfather), believed that certain physical traits were predetermined to change in a gradual manner, as time passes. They referred to this as the "Ladder of Nature" or the scala naturae. Charles Lyell used the term to describe this concept in his Principles of Geology, first published in 1833.<br /><br />In the early 1800s, Darwin formulated his theory of evolution and published it in his book On the Origin of Species. It states that all species of organisms have common ancestors that can be traced through fossils and other evidence. This is the modern view of evolution that is supported by numerous lines of scientific research which includes molecular genetics.<br /><br />While scientists do not know exactly how organisms evolved but they are certain that the evolution of life on earth is a result of natural selection and genetic drift. Individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to live and reproduce, and these individuals pass their genes on to the next generation. As time passes this leads to a gradual accumulation of changes in the gene pool that gradually result in new species and types.<br /><br />Some scientists also use the term"evolution" to refer to large-scale changes in evolutionary processes like the creation of a new species from an ancestral species. Some scientists, like population geneticists, define the term "evolution" in a more broad sense by using the term "net change" to refer to the variation in the frequency of alleles over generations. Both definitions are correct and palatable, but some scientists argue that allele-frequency definitions do not include important aspects of evolutionary process.<br /><br />Origins of Life<br /><br />One of the most crucial steps in evolution is the development of life. This happens when living systems begin to develop at the micro level - within individual cells, for instance.<br /><br />The origins of life is an issue in a variety of disciplines that include geology, chemistry, biology and chemistry. The question of how living things started is of particular importance in science since it poses an enormous challenge to the theory of evolution. It is often called "the mystery of life" or "abiogenesis."<br /><br />Traditionally, the belief that life can arise from nonliving things is called spontaneous generation, or "spontaneous evolution." <a href="https://egelund-gilmore.hubstack.net/new-and-innovative-concepts-happening-with-free-evolution">에볼루션 바카라 체험</a> was a common belief before Louis Pasteur's research showed that it was impossible for the creation of life to happen through an entirely natural process.<br /><br />Many scientists still think it is possible to move from nonliving substances to living ones. However, the conditions that are required are extremely difficult to reproduce in a laboratory. This is why scientists studying the origins of life are also keen to understand the physical properties of the early Earth and other planets.<br /><br />Furthermore, the growth of life is a sequence of very complex chemical reactions that cannot be predicted based on basic physical laws alone. These include the reading and re-reading of complex molecules, such as DNA or RNA, to create proteins that perform a particular function. These chemical reactions are often compared to the chicken-and-egg problem of how life began: The emergence of DNA/RNA and protein-based cell machinery is essential to the birth of life, however, without the emergence of life, the chemical process that allows it does not appear to work.<br /><br />Abiogenesis research requires collaboration with scientists from different disciplines. This includes prebiotic scientists, astrobiologists and planetary scientists.<br /><br />Evolutionary Changes<br /><br />The term "evolution" is used to describe the cumulative changes in genetic characteristics over time. These changes may 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.<br /><br />This latter mechanism increases the number of genes that provide the advantage of survival for an animal, resulting in an overall change in the appearance of a group. The specific mechanisms responsible for these evolutionary changes include mutation or reshuffling genes during sexual reproduction, and also gene flow between populations.<br /><br />Natural selection is the process that makes beneficial mutations more common. All organisms undergo mutations and reshuffles in their genes. This happens because, as noted above those with the advantageous trait are likely to have a higher reproductive rate than those without it. This differential in the number of offspring that are produced over many generations can result in a gradual change in the average number of beneficial traits within the group.<br /><br />One good example is the growing beak size on different species of finches found on the Galapagos Islands, which have evolved different shaped beaks to allow them to more easily access food in their new home. These changes in the shape and form of living organisms may also aid in the creation of new species.<br /><br />The majority of changes are caused by a single mutation, although sometimes multiple occur simultaneously. The majority of these changes are neither harmful nor even harmful to the organism, however a small portion of them could have an advantageous impact on survival and reproduction, thus increasing the frequency of these changes in the population over time. Natural selection is a mechanism that causes the accumulating change over time that leads to the creation of a new species.<br /><br />Some people confuse the idea of evolution with the idea that traits inherited can be altered by conscious choice or by use and abuse, a concept known as soft inheritance. This is a misinterpretation of the biological processes that lead to the process of evolution. A more accurate description of evolution is that it involves a two-step process, involving the independent, and often competing, forces of natural selection and mutation.<br /><br />Origins of Humans<br /><br />Modern humans (Homo Sapiens) evolved from primates, a group of mammal species that includes chimpanzees as well as gorillas. Our ancestors walked on two legs, as evidenced by the first fossils. Genetic and biological similarities show that we have a close relationship with chimpanzees. In reality we are the most closely connected to chimpanzees belonging to the Pan genus that includes pygmy and bonobos and pygmy chimpanzees. The last common ancestor of modern humans and chimpanzees was born between 8 and 6 million years ago.<br /><br />Humans have evolved a wide range of characteristics over time including bipedalism, the use of fire and advanced tools. It's only in the last 100,000 years that we've developed the majority of our important traits. They include a huge brain that is complex human ability to create and use tools, as well as cultural variety.<br /><br />The process of evolution occurs when genetic changes allow members of the group to better adapt to the environment. Natural selection is the process that drives this adaptation. Certain characteristics are more desirable than others. The more adjusted are more likely to pass their genes on to the next generation. This is how all species evolve, and it is the basis of the theory of evolution.<br /><br />Scientists call it the "law of natural selection." The law states species that have an ancestor in common will tend to develop similar traits in the course of time. This is because the traits allow them to live and reproduce in their environment.<br /><br />Every living thing has DNA molecules, which contains the information needed to control their growth and development. The DNA structure is made of base pairs arranged in a spiral around phosphate and sugar molecules. The sequence of bases within each strand determines the phenotype or the individual's unique appearance and behavior. The variations in a population are caused by mutations and reshufflings in genetic material (known collectively as alleles).<br /><br /><br /><br />Fossils of the first human species, Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis have been discovered in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Although there are some differences the fossils all support the idea that modern humans first appeared in Africa. Evidence from fossils and genetics suggest that early humans moved out of Africa into Asia and then Europe.<br /><br />