Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution

Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions about evolution persist. People who have absorbed popular science myths often assume that biologists claim they do not believe in evolution.

This rich website - companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources that promote evolution education and avoid the kinds of misinformation that can undermine it. It's arranged in a nested "bread crumb" format to facilitate navigation and orientation.

Definitions

Evolution is a complex and difficult subject to teach effectively. People who are not scientists often have a difficult time understanding the subject, and some scientists even use a definition which confuses it. This is especially true when it comes to discussions about the nature of the word.

Therefore, it is important to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website provides this in a straightforward and useful manner. The website is a companion to the show which first aired in 2001, but it also functions as an independent resource. The content is presented in a nested fashion which aids navigation and orientation.

The site defines terms such as common ancestor, the gradual process and adaptation. These terms help to define the nature of evolution and its relationship to other concepts in science. The site provides an overview of the way the concept of evolution has been tested. This information can be used to dispel misconceptions that have been created by creationists.

You can also consult a glossary that includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:

Adaptation: The tendency for heritable characteristics to become more suitable to a particular setting. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted characteristics are more likely than those with less adaptable traits to reproduce and survive.

Common ancestor: The most recent common ancestor of two or more different species. By analyzing the DNA from these species, it is possible to identify the common ancestor.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A massive biological molecular that holds the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in a sequence of nucleotides that are strung together to form long chains, 에볼루션 바카라사이트 called chromosomes. Mutations are the cause of new genetic information within cells.

Coevolution: A relationship between two species in which evolutionary changes in one species are affected by changes in evolutionary processes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interaction between predator and prey, or the parasite and the host.

Origins

Species (groups of individuals that can interbreed) change through natural changes in the characteristics of their offspring. Changes can be caused by many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift and mixing of the gene pool. The evolution of new species could take thousands of years. Environmental circumstances, 에볼루션 사이트 such as changes in the climate or competition for food resources and habitat can slow or speed up the process.

The Evolution site traces through time the evolution of different animal and plant groups with a focus on major changes in each group's history. It also explores human evolution as a subject that is particularly important for students.

Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, when only a few antediluvian fossils of humans were discovered. The famous skullcap, with the bones associated with it, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, one year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's very unlikely that Darwin had ever heard of it.

While the site is focused on biology, it also offers a lot of information on geology and paleontology. Among the best features of the Web site are a set of timelines that show how geological and climatic conditions have changed over time and an outline of the distribution of some fossil groups listed on the site.

Although the site is a companion to a PBS television series but it also stands on its own as an excellent source for 무료에볼루션 teachers and students. The site is extremely well-organized and 에볼루션 바카라 체험 has clear links between the introduction material 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 move 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, which illustrate the importance ecology in evolutionary theory.

Diversity

The evolution of life has led to a variety of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their natural environment and has numerous advantages over the modern observational and research methods of examining evolutionary phenomena. In addition to examining processes and events that occur regularly or over a long period of time, paleobiology allows to study the relative abundance of different kinds of organisms as well as their distribution in space over the geological time.

The Web site is divided into various ways to learn about evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the scientific process and the evidence supporting the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution theory's history.

Each of the main sections of the Evolution website is equally well-developed, and includes materials that support a variety levels of curriculum and teaching methods. In addition to general textual content, the site offers an array of multimedia and interactive content, such as video clips, animations, and virtual labs. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the large web site.

The page "Coral Reef Connections", for example, provides a comprehensive overview of the coral's relationships and their interactions with other organisms and then zooms in on a single clam, which is able communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in conditions of the water that occur at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the site, offer an excellent introduction to the broad range of topics in evolutionary biology. The material includes an explanation of the significance of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics which is a crucial method for understanding the evolution of changes.

Evolutionary Theory

Evolution is a common thread that connects all branches of biology. A vast collection of resources supports teaching about evolution across all life sciences.

One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of a Web site that provides the depth and breadth of its educational resources. The site has a variety of interactive learning modules. It also features an "bread crumb structure" that assists students in moving away from the cartoon-like style used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this large website more closely connected to the realms 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.

The Evolution Library on this website is a vast multimedia library of materials that deal with evolution. The contents are organized into courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives outlined in the standards for biology. It contains seven videos designed specifically for classroom use, which can be streamed for no cost or purchased on DVD.

A number of important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, including what causes evolution to occur and how fast it occurs. This is particularly true for humans' evolution, where it was difficult to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humanity has a special place in creation and a soul with the notion that human beings have innate physical traits originated from the apes.

There are a variety of other ways in which evolution could occur including natural selection, which is the most popular theory. Scientists also study different types such as genetic drift and sexual selection.

While many fields of scientific study conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, evolution biology has been a source of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the notions of evolution, 에볼루션 사이트 others aren't.