7 Things You Didn't Know About Evolution Site
Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts by biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions regarding evolution. Pop science nonsense has led people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This site, which is a complement to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources that support the evolution of education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions that can undermine it. It's organized in a nested "bread crumb" format for ease of navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complex and difficult subject to teach effectively. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists and even scientists use a definition that confuses the issue. This is especially relevant when it comes to the nature of the words themselves.
It is therefore essential to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in an easy and helpful manner. The site is a companion to the series that first aired in 2001, but it can also function as an independent resource. The content is presented in a way that aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor, the gradual process and adaptation. These terms help frame the nature of evolution as well as its relation to other scientific concepts. The site gives a comprehensive overview of the way in which evolution has been tested. 에볼루션 바카라 무료 can help dispel the myths created by creationists.
It is also possible to get the glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency of heritable traits to become better adaptable to a specific environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely than those with less adapted traits to reproduce and survive.
Common ancestor (also known as common ancestor) The most recent ancestor that is shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified by studying the DNA of the species.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A huge biological molecular that holds the necessary information for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. Mutations are the reason behind the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species where evolutionary changes in one species are affected by changes in evolutionary processes in the other. Coevolution can be seen in the interaction of predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals that are able to interbreed) evolve through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The causes of these changes are various factors, including natural selection, gene drift and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of a new species can take thousands of years, and the process may be slowed or increased due to environmental conditions, such as climate change or competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks through time the evolution of different species of plants and animals, focusing on major transitions in each group's history. It also examines the evolution of humans and is a subject of particular importance for students.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, when only a few antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. One of them was the infamous skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, which is now known to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, one year after the first edition of the Origin appeared, it is highly unlikely that Darwin had ever heard of it.
While the site focuses on biology, it also offers a lot of information about geology as well as paleontology. One of the most appealing features on the site are a series of timelines which show how climatic and geological conditions have changed over time, as well as a map of the distribution of some fossil groups that are featured on the site.
Although the site is a companion piece to the PBS television show but it also stands on its own as a valuable source for teachers and students. The site is extremely well organized and provides clear links between the introduction content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specialized elements of the museum's web site. These hyperlinks make it easier to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated realms of research science. There are links to John Endler’s experiments with guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has led to a wide variety of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their natural environment and has many advantages over modern observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary processes. In addition to examining processes and events that occur regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology is able to analyze the relative abundance of various species of organisms and their distribution across the geological time.
The Web site is divided into various pathways to understanding evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a liner path through the scientific process and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on common misconceptions about evolution as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the other major sections of the Evolution site is similarly developed, with materials that can be used to support a range of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. In addition to the general textual content, the site offers an extensive selection of multimedia and interactive resources like videos, animations, and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content aids in navigation and orientation on the massive Web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, it provides a comprehensive overview of coral relationships and interactions with other organisms, and then is enlarged to show a single clam, which can communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in conditions of the water that occur at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages, gives a good introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The information also includes an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis, which is an important tool in understanding evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that runs through all branches of biology. A rich collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, which is the companion to PBS's television show Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of a Web site that provides depth and broadness in terms of educational resources. The site offers a variety of interactive learning modules. It also features a "bread crumb structure" that helps students move away from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this site that are more closely connected to the fields of research science. An animation that introduces students to the concept of genetics links to a page about John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using Guppies living in ponds native to Trinidad.
Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this website, which includes an extensive multimedia library of items connected to evolution. Read More Listed here is organized according to curricula-based paths that correspond to the learning objectives set out in the biology standards. It contains seven short videos designed for classroom use. They can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is still a field of study that poses many important questions, such as what triggers evolution and how fast it takes place. This is especially true in the case of human evolution which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that humanity has a unique place in the creation and a soul, with the notion that our physical traits were derived from the apes.
There are also a number of other ways in which evolution can occur, with natural selection as the most popular theory. However, scientists also study other types of evolution such as mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among other things.
While many scientific fields of study conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been a subject of intense debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While some religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, other religions aren't.