Day 41 Intro to Evolution

EVOLUTION!

-The word evolution means change over time.

-We can apply this to anything. We can say that a band or musician's career has evolved. This does not mean that it got better it just means that it has changed over time.

-EVERYTHING CHANGES

-In biology, evolution means change of allele frequencies over time. Think of this as a change in genes over time

In order to pass on your genes you need to reproduce. Evolution is all about who reproduces

-The four mechanisms of evolution refer to who chooses who gets to reproduce

The four mechanisms of evolution

-Natural Selection

-Is when nature chooses who gets to reproduce

-Survival of the fittest

-Artificial Selection

-Humans choose who gets to reproduce

-How we turned wolves into Chihuahuas

-Sexual Selection

-The opposite sex chooses who gets to reproduce

-Usually goes against natural selection

-A peacock's feathers and a frog's croak are good examples

-Genetic Drift

-This is the only one that is not a selection

-It is usually an accident

-You reproduce with what you have because they are the only options

-The only ones in an area (Founder Effect) or a disaster kills off most of the group (Bottle Neck effect)

-Evolution is different than speciation.

-Speciation is when one species turns into another species.

-Speciation uses evolution to describe its process but it is separate from evolution

-History of life

-The first cell hypothesis is the hypothesis that one cell turned into all life on earth. This is a hypothesis that uses evolution to describe how it happened but is not evolution.

Homework Assignment:

Go to the Missing Universe Museum and Pick an Exhibit

Sign up for your Exhibit here

Write a 1 to 3 paragraph paper on what is scientifically wrong with your exhibit. Make sure to quote the mistake and then scientifically explain the reality. You need to have 10 scientific points in your paper to receive the 10 points. Everyone needs to pick a different exhibit. Only once all 25 have been picked may some students pick a duplicate. It is okay to use the exhibit I used in class.