Despite the best efforts by biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions regarding evolution. People who have been exposed to the nonsense of pop science often believe that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS program offers teachers resources that promote evolution education while avoiding the types of misconceptions which make it difficult to understand. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.Definitions
Evolution is a complex and difficult subject matter to teach well. Non-scientists often misunderstand the subject, and some scientists even use a definition which confuses it. This is especially relevant when it comes to the definition of the words.
It is therefore essential to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website helps you define these terms in a straightforward and useful manner. The site is a companion site to the show that premiered in 2001, but it also functions as an independent resource. The material is presented in an organized manner that makes it simpler to navigate and comprehend.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process and adaptation. These terms help to define the nature of evolution as well as its relationship to other scientific concepts. The site provides an overview of the way the concept of evolution has been tested. This information will help to dispel the myths created by creationists.
It is also possible to find a glossary of terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
The process of adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to be more suited to the environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable traits are more likely than those with less-adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor: The most recent common ancestor 에볼루션 바카라 of two or more species. By analyzing the DNA from these species it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotides arranged in sequences that are strung together to form long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species in which the evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes of the other. Examples of coevolution are the interactions between predator and prey, or parasite and host.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed) develop through a series of natural changes in their offspring's traits. The changes can be caused by a variety, including natural selection, genetic drift and gene pool mixing. The development of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, such as changes in the climate or competition for food or habitat can impede or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site follows the emergence of various groups of animals and plants, focusing on major transitions in each group's history. It also focuses on human evolution as a subject of particular importance to students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. Among them was the famous skullcap and associated bones found in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany which is now believed as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, one year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's extremely unlikely that Darwin had seen or heard of it.
The site is mostly a biology site however, it also has a lot of information on geology and paleontology. The website has numerous aspects that are quite impressive, such as a timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also has maps that show the locations of fossil groups.
While the site is a companion piece to a PBS television series but it also stands on its own as an excellent source for teachers and students. The site is well-organized, and provides clear links to the introduction information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's support) as well as the more specialized features on the museum's website. These hyperlinks help users move from the engaging cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. In particular there are links to John Endler's experiments using Guppies, which demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has resulted in a variety of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological context and has many advantages over the current observational and experimental methods for analyzing evolutionary phenomena. In addition to examining processes and events that take place regularly or over a long period of time, paleobiology can be used to study the relative abundance of various groups of organisms and their distribution across the course of geological time.
The website is divided into several paths that can be chosen to learn about evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," guides the user through the nature and evidence of evolution. The course also focuses on common misconceptions about evolution as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that are suited to a variety of levels of curriculum and teaching methods. The site has a range of interactive and multimedia resources, including video clips, animations and virtual laboratories as well as general textual content. The breadcrumb-like organization of the content helps with navigation and orientation on the large Web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, it gives a brief overview of the relationships between corals, their interaction with other organisms and is enlarged to show a single clam, which is able to communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in the conditions of the water that occur at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages provides an excellent introduction to the many areas of evolutionary biology. The material includes an overview of the role of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics which is a crucial method for understanding the evolution of changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that connects all branches of biology. A rich collection supports teaching evolution across the disciplines of life sciences.
One resource, the companion to PBS's television show Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of a Web page that provides depth and broadness in terms of educational resources. The site offers a variety of interactive learning modules. It also has an "bread crumb structure" that helps students move away from the cartoon style used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements of this vast website that are closely linked to the worlds of research science. For example an animation that explains the idea of genetic inheritance connects to a page that focuses on John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using guppies in the ponds of his native country of Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website contains a large multimedia library of materials that deal with evolution. The content is organized according to curricula-based paths that correspond to the learning goals set forth in the standards for biology. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for use in classrooms. These can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology is an area of study with a lot of important questions, such as the causes of evolution and how quickly it happens. This is particularly relevant for the evolution of humans which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that humanity has a special place in the creation and a soul with the idea that innate physical traits were derived from Apes.
There are a myriad of other ways in which evolution can take place, with natural selection as the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study different types such as mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection.
While many fields of scientific study are in conflict with the literal interpretations of religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been a subject of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the theories of evolution, other religions haven't.
