Key Concepts in Evolution and Earth Science

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Theory of Evolution

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A scientific theory that explains how species evolve over time through natural selection and genetic variation.

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Law of Superposition

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A principle in geology that states in any undisturbed sequence of rocks, the oldest rocks are at the bottom and the youngest are at the top.

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Plate Tectonics Theory

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A scientific theory explaining the movement of the Earth's lithosphere which is divided into tectonic plates.

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Evolution

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The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.

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Fossil

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The preserved remains or impression of a prehistoric organism, often found in sedimentary rock.

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Vestigial Structures

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Body parts that have lost their original function through evolution.

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Ancestry/Ancestral

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Referring to the lineage or historical descent of an organism.

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Homologous Structures

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Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry.

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Analogous Structures

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Structures in different species that have similar functions but are not derived from a common ancestor.

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Anatomy

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The branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, animals, and other living organisms.