Darwin and Evidence for Evolution

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What is evolution?

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Evolution is the process through which species change over time through adaptations and natural selection.

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What is natural selection?

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Natural selection is the mechanism by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

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What are homologous structures?

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Homologous structures are anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry, even if they have different functions.

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What are analogous structures?

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Analogous structures are features in different species that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry.

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What is a vestigial structure?

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A vestigial structure is a body part that has lost its original function through evolution, such as the human appendix.

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What does the fossil record show?

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The fossil record provides evidence of past life forms and shows how species have changed over time.

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What is the significance of fossil layers?

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Fossil layers indicate the relative age of fossils, with older fossils found in deeper layers.

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What is adaptive radiation?

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Adaptive radiation is the process by which a single ancestor species rapidly diversifies into a wide variety of forms to adapt to different environments.

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What is a common ancestor?

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A common ancestor is a species from which two or more different species have evolved.

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What is speciation?

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Speciation is the process by which new species arise from existing species.