The Berkeley Evolution Site<br /><br />The Berkeley site has resources that can assist students and teachers to understand and teach about evolution. The resources are organized into a variety of learning paths such as "What did T. rex taste like?"<br /><br />Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection states that in time, creatures more adaptable to changing environments do better than those that don't become extinct. Science is concerned with this process of biological evolution.<br /><br />What is Evolution?<br /><br />The term "evolution" can have many nonscientific meanings. For instance "progress" or "descent with modification." It is a scientific term that refers to the process of changing traits over time in organisms or species. In terms of biology, this change is based on natural selection and genetic drift.<br /><br />Evolution is a fundamental tenet in the field of biology today. It is a concept that has been verified through thousands of scientific tests. Evolution does not deal with God's presence or spiritual beliefs, unlike many other scientific theories such as the Copernican or germ theory of diseases.<br /><br />Early evolutionists like Erasmus Darwin (Charles’s grandfather) and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck believed that certain physical traits were predetermined to evolve in a step-like fashion over time. They referred to this as the "Ladder of Nature" or scala naturae. Charles Lyell used the term to describe this idea 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 share an ancestry that can be traced by fossils and other evidence. This is the current view of evolution, which is supported in a wide range of areas of science that include molecular biology.<br /><br />Although scientists aren't able to determine exactly how organisms evolved however they are sure that the evolution of life on earth is the result of natural selection and genetic drift. People with desirable traits are more likely to live and reproduce, and these individuals pass their genes on to the next generation. As time passes the gene pool slowly changes and evolves into new species.<br /><br />Some scientists also use the term evolution to refer to large-scale evolutionary changes like the creation of the new species from an ancestral species. Certain scientists, including population geneticists, define the term "evolution" in a broad sense, referring to the net variation in the frequency of alleles over generations. Both definitions are acceptable and precise however some scientists believe that the allele-frequency definition omits important features of the evolutionary process.<br /><br />Origins of Life<br /><br />The birth of life is a key stage in evolution. This happens when living systems begin to evolve at the micro level - within cells, for example.<br /><br />The origin of life is an important issue in many fields, including biology and chemistry. The question of how living things got their start is of particular importance in science since it poses an enormous challenge to the theory of evolution. It is often referred to as "the mystery of life," or "abiogenesis."<br /><br />The idea that life could arise from non-living things was called "spontaneous generation" or "spontaneous evolutionary". It was a common belief prior to Louis Pasteur's tests proved that the emergence of living organisms was not possible by the natural process.<br /><br />Many scientists still think it is possible to transition from nonliving substances to living ones. However, the conditions that are required are extremely difficult to replicate in the laboratory. Researchers studying the nature of life are also interested in understanding the physical properties of the early Earth and other planets.<br /><br />In addition, the development of life is the sequence of extremely complex chemical reactions that cannot be predicted based on basic physical laws on their own. These include the reading and re-reading of complex molecules, like DNA or RNA, to produce proteins that perform a particular function. These chemical reactions can be compared to the chicken-and-egg problem that is the emergence and growth of DNA/RNA, protein-based cell machinery, is required to begin the process of becoming a living organism. But, without life, the chemistry needed to make it possible does appear to work.<br /><br />Research in the field of abiogenesis requires collaboration among scientists from a variety of fields. This includes prebiotic chemists, planet scientists, astrobiologists, geologists and geophysicists.<br /><br /><br /><br />Evolutionary Changes<br /><br />The term "evolution" is typically used to refer to the accumulated changes in the genetic traits of a population over time. These changes may result from adaptation to environmental pressures as discussed in the entry on Darwinism (see the entry on Charles Darwin for background) or natural selection.<br /><br /><a href="https://evolutionkr.kr/">에볼루션카지노</a> is a method that increases the frequency of genes which confer an advantage in survival over other species which results in gradual changes in the overall appearance of a particular population. These changes in evolutionary patterns are caused by mutations, reshuffling of genes in the process of sexual reproduction, and also by gene flow.<br /><br />While mutation and reshuffling of genes occur in all organisms and the process by which beneficial mutations become more common is referred to as natural selection. As noted above, individuals with the beneficial trait have a higher reproductive rate than those that do not. Over many generations, this difference in the numbers of offspring born can result in a gradual shift in the average amount of desirable characteristics in a particular population.<br /><br />This can be seen in the evolution of different beak designs on finches that are found in the Galapagos Islands. They have developed these beaks in order that they can eat more easily in their new habitat. These changes in the form and shape of living organisms may also aid in the creation of new species.<br /><br />Most of the changes that occur are caused by a single mutation, but occasionally several will happen at once. Most of these changes are neither harmful nor even harmful to the organism, however, a small proportion of them can have an advantageous impact on the longevity and reproduction of the species, thus increasing their frequency in the population over time. This is the process of natural selection, and it is able to eventually result in the cumulative changes that eventually lead to an entirely new species.<br /><br />Some people confuse evolution with the idea of soft inheritance that is the belief that inherited traits can be changed by conscious choice or abuse. This is a misunderstanding of the biological processes that lead up to evolution. A more precise description is that evolution is a two-step procedure that involves the distinct, and often competing, forces of mutation and natural selection.<br /><br />Origins of Humans<br /><br />Modern humans (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 first fossils. Genetic and biological similarities suggest that we are closely related to the chimpanzees. In actual fact we are the most closely related to the chimpanzees within the Pan genus, which includes pygmy chimpanzees and bonobos. The last common human ancestor as well as chimpanzees was born between 8 and 6 million years ago.<br /><br />Over time humans have developed a range of characteristics, such as bipedalism and the use fire. They also developed advanced tools. It is only in the past 100,000 years or so that most of the traits that distinguish us from other species have been developed. These include a big brain that is complex, the ability of humans to create and use tools, and cultural variety.<br /><br />Evolution is when genetic changes allow members of an organization to better adapt to their environment. This adaptation is driven by natural selection, a process that determines certain traits are preferred over others. The better adaptable are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. This is the way that all species evolve and forms the basis of the theory of evolution.<br /><br />Scientists call this the "law of natural selection." The law states species that share an ancestor will tend to develop similar traits in the course of time. It is because these traits allow them to survive and reproduce within their environment.<br /><br />Every organism has DNA molecules, which contains the information needed to control their growth and development. The DNA molecule is composed of base pairs arranged spirally around sugar molecules and phosphate molecules. The sequence of bases within each strand determines phenotype, or the individual's characteristic appearance and behavior. Variations in a population can be caused by mutations and reshufflings in genetic material (known collectively as alleles).<br /><br />Fossils of the earliest human species, Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis have been discovered in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Despite some differences the fossils all support the idea that modern humans first came into existence in Africa. The genetic and fossil evidence suggests that early humans left Africa and migrated to Asia and Europe.<br /><br />