Fascinations of Natural Selection
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Have you ever wondered why some bears are white and some are brown? Why some plants are poisonous while others eat insects? These are all examples of adaptive measurements taken by living things in order to survive. The process for attaining all these traits is called the process of natural selection. In this blog, bio major Steven Rindner shares some of his discoveries on the fascinations of natural selection.
To start, what is natural selection? Natural selection is, as written in the name, how nature selects which species get to survive off of their traits. Imagine if a grizzly bear were to live in the Arctic, it wouldn’t survive for long since its traits aren’t made for that climate. Brown fur gives away his position for hunting and his movements does not allow him to swim as well as polar bears do.
Natural selection isn’t limited to just environments. Hunting, escaping, and other survival needs are done through natural selection. It also doesn’t happen to just one animal. It is genetic meaning whole species are affected by it. Steven Rindner’s biggest example is the human species. Through certain genetic traits, our brains became the most advanced, allowing us to be where we are now.