"Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations."
Study of changes in living organisms over time.
Genetics: This is the study of genes and heredity, and how changes in genes can affect the characteristics of individuals and populations.
Natural selection: This is the process by which certain traits or behaviors become more common in a population because they give individuals an advantage in surviving and reproducing.
Adaptations: These are traits or behaviors that increase an organism's chances of survival and reproduction in a particular environment.
Fossils: These are the preserved remains of extinct organisms, which can provide insights into the evolution and diversity of life on Earth.
Phylogenetics: This is the study of the evolutionary relationships between different species, based on similarities and differences in their genetic and physical characteristics.
Biogeography: This is the study of the distribution of species in different geographic regions, and how this distribution has been influenced by historical and ecological factors.
Taxonomy: This is the system of naming and classifying living things based on their evolutionary relationships and physical traits.
Homology: This is the similarity between different species or organisms caused by inheritance from a common ancestor.
Convergent evolution: This is the independent evolution of similar traits or behaviors in different species, as a result of similar environmental pressures.
Speciation: This is the process by which new species arise from existing ones, through mechanisms such as geographic isolation or genetic divergence.
Extinction: This is the complete disappearance of a species or group of organisms, and can be caused by a range of factors including climate change, habitat destruction, and competition with other species.
Human evolution: This is the study of the evolution of our own species, Homo sapiens, from our earliest ancestors to the present day. It includes the study of anatomical, genetic, and behavioral traits that distinguish humans from other primates and from other animals.
Microevolution: Refers to the small-scale changes that occur within a population over time, including genetic changes and adaptation.
Macroevolution: Refers to the large-scale changes that occur over long periods, resulting in new species, genera, families, and higher taxonomic levels.
Convergent Evolution: Refers to the process by which different species evolve similar traits independently in different geographic regions or time periods.
Divergent Evolution: Refers to the process by which a single ancestral species gives rise to two or more new species that become increasingly different in traits and adaptations over time.
Parallel Evolution: Refers to the process by which two or more related species evolve similar traits independently from a common ancestor.
"The processes that change DNA in a population include natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow."
"The theory of evolution by natural selection was conceived independently by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the mid-19th century."
"Evolution occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation."
"Certain characteristics become more or less common within a population over successive generations."
"The theory was an explanation for why organisms are adapted to their physical and biological environments."
"(1) more offspring are often produced than can possibly survive; (2) traits vary among individuals; (3) different traits confer different rates of survival and reproduction; and (4) traits can be passed from generation to generation."
"Evolution was combined with Mendelian inheritance and population genetics to give rise to modern evolutionary theory."
"All life on Earth—including humanity—shares a last universal common ancestor (LUCA), which lived approximately 3.5–3.8 billion years ago."
"The fossil record includes a progression from early biogenic graphite to microbial mat fossils to fossilised multicellular organisms."
"Existing patterns of biodiversity have been shaped by repeated formations of new species (speciation), changes within species (anagenesis), and loss of species (extinction)."
"Morphological and biochemical traits tend to be more similar among species that share a more recent common ancestor, which historically was used to reconstruct phylogenetic trees."
"Their discoveries have influenced not just the development of biology but also other fields including agriculture, medicine, and computer science."
"Researchers have constructed theories based on evidence from the field or laboratory and on data generated by the methods of mathematical and theoretical biology."
"Traits can be passed from generation to generation (heritability of fitness)."
"The processes that change DNA in a population include natural selection, genetic drift, mutation, and gene flow."
"Existing patterns of biodiversity have been shaped by repeated formations of new species (speciation)."
"In this synthesis, the basis for heredity is in DNA molecules that pass information from generation to generation."
"Different traits confer different rates of survival and reproduction (differential fitness)."
"Their discoveries have influenced not just the development of biology but also other fields including agriculture, medicine, and computer science."