Evidence of Evolution

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What is a change in an organism that allows for it to survive in its environment?

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Adaptation: A change in an organism that enhances its ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.

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Who is known as the father of evolution?

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Darwin: Charles Darwin is recognized as the father of evolution for his theory of natural selection.

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What is the term for structures that have lost their original function?

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Vestigial Structures: These are body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.

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What do we call the preserved remains or traces of organisms from the past?

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Fossil Record: The fossil record is a collection of fossils that provides evidence of past life on Earth.

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What are similar structures in different species that have a common ancestor called?

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Homologous Structures: These are anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry.

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What is the process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring?

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Natural Selection: A mechanism of evolution where individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

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What is the term for the variety of different types of life found on Earth?

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Biodiversity: The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

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What is the study of the development of embryos in different species called?

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Embryology: The study of embryos and their development, which can show similarities between species.

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What is the term for the process by which species evolve over time?

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Evolution: The change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.

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What is the term for the physical traits of an organism?

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Phenotype: The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.