7 Things You've Never Known About Evolution Site
Evolution Site – Teaching About Evolution Despite the best efforts of 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 rich Web site – companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources that promote evolution education and avoid the kinds of misconceptions that undermine it. It's arranged in a nested “bread crumb” format to facilitate navigation and orientation. Definitions It's not easy to properly teach evolution. Non-scientists often misunderstand the subject and some scientists use a definition that confuses it. This is particularly true when it comes to discussions on the meaning of the word itself. It is therefore crucial to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and helpful way. The site is both an accompaniment to the 2001 series, but also a resource on its own. The material is presented in a nested fashion that aids navigation and orientation. The site defines terms such as common ancestor and gradual process. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution as well as its relation to other scientific concepts. The website provides a summary of the way that evolution has been tested. This information can be used to dispel the myths that have been engendered by creationists. You can also consult a glossary that contains terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include: Adaptation: The tendency of heritable traits to become better suitable to a particular setting. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely than those with less-adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce. Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more species. By studying the DNA of these species, it is possible to identify the common ancestor. Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information necessary for cell replication. The information is contained in a sequence of nucleotides that are strung together into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information inside cells. Coevolution: A relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are influenced by evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey, or parasite and host. Origins Species (groups of individuals that are able to interbreed) evolve through natural changes in the characteristics of their offspring. These changes are caused by a variety, including natural selection, genetic drift and mixing of genes. The development of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like climate changes or competition for food resources and habitat can slow or speed up the process. The Evolution site tracks the development of various species of plants and animals over time with a focus on the key transitions that occurred in the history of each group. It also focuses on the evolutionary origin of humans, a topic that is particularly important for students to understand. Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, when just a few antediluvian fossils of humans were discovered. The most famous among them was the skullcap and the associated bones discovered in 1856 at the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany that is now thought as an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, one year after the first edition of the Origin was published, it's very unlikely that Darwin had ever heard of it. The site is primarily one of biology however it also includes a lot of information on paleontology and geology. The website has several features that are particularly impressive, including the timeline of how geological and climate conditions have changed over time. It also includes maps that show the locations of fossil groups. The site is a companion to a PBS television series, but it could be used as a resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and offers clear links to the introductory content of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's funding) and the more specialized features of the museum's website. These links facilitate the transition from the cartoon-like style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. Particularly, there are links to John Endler's research with guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory. Diversity The evolution of life has led to many species of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures within their natural environment, has many advantages over the current observational or experimental methods for exploring evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology is able to study not only processes and events that take place regularly or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of different species of animals in space throughout geological time. The site is divided into various pathways to understanding evolution, including “Evolution 101,” which takes the user on a linear path through the nature of science and the evidence supporting the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on misconceptions about evolution and also the history of evolutionary thinking. Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is equally created, with resources that can support a variety of educational levels and pedagogical styles. In addition to the standard textual content, the site offers a wide range of interactive and multimedia resources like videos, animations and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content helps with navigation and orientation on the massive Web site. For example, the page “Coral Reef Connections” gives a brief overview of the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms. It then concentrates on a specific clam that can communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in the water conditions at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the site, provide an excellent introduction to the broad variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The information also includes an overview of the importance of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis, which is a crucial method to understand evolutionary changes. Evolutionary Theory Evolution is an underlying thread that connects all branches of biology. A rich collection supports teaching evolution across the life science disciplines. One resource, the companion to PBS's television series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of an Web page that provides the depth and the breadth in terms of its educational resources. The site features a wealth of interactive learning modules. It also has a “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 connected to the worlds of research science. For example an animation that explains the concept of genetic inheritance links to a page that focuses on John Endler's experiments with artificial selection with guppies from the native ponds of Trinidad. Another useful resource is the Evolution Library on this site, which contains an extensive multimedia library of assets connected to evolution. The contents are organized into curricula-based pathways that correspond to the learning goals established in the standards for biology. It includes seven short videos designed specifically for use in the classroom, and can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD. Evolutionary biology is a field of study with a lot of important questions, such as what triggers evolution and how quickly it takes place. This is particularly applicable to human evolution where it's been difficult to reconcile that the physical traits of humans evolved from apes, and the religious beliefs that hold that humans are unique among living things and has an exclusive place in the creation with a soul. There are also a number of other ways in which evolution could occur, with natural selection as the most well-known 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 inquiry are in conflict with literal interpretations of the Bible evolutionary biology has been the subject of intense controversy and resistance from religious fundamentalists. While 에볼루션 슬롯게임 have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the ideas of evolution, others aren't.