The Evolutionary Epic Crash Course Big History 5

The video explores the evolutionary epic, highlighting the role of natural selection as proposed by Charles Darwin. It discusses the development of multicellular life, the impact of mass extinctions, and the adaptive radiation that followed. The rise and fall of dinosaurs and the subsequent evolution of mammals are also covered, emphasizing the dynamic nature of evolution over billions of years.

What is the keystone concept of the evolutionary epic discussed in the introduction?

• Natural Selection

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Artificial Selection

Which phrase is often incorrectly attributed to Darwin but was actually coined by Herbert Spencer?

• Descent with Modification

• Struggle for Existence

• Survival of the Fittest

• Natural Selection

What type of evidence is NOT mentioned as supporting the theory of evolution?

• Astrological Charts

• Radiometric Dating

• DNA Sequencing

• Fossil Records

What process describes the cooperation between single-celled organisms that led to multicellular life?

• Competition

• Predation

• Parasitism

• Symbiosis

Which era is known for the first extensive fossil evidence of multicellular organisms?

• Ordovician

• Cambrian

• Silurian

• Ediacaran

What event is often referred to as the 'Great Dying'?

• The Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction

• The Cambrian Explosion

• The Permian Extinction

• The Triassic Extinction

Which period is known for the dominance of dinosaurs?

• Silurian

• Cambrian

• Jurassic

• Devonian

What allowed mammals to survive the extinction event that ended the reign of dinosaurs?

• Thick scales

• Ability to fly

• Burrowing and requiring less food

• Photosynthesis

What is the term for the rapid evolution of species to fill ecological niches after a mass extinction?

• Convergent Evolution

• Adaptive Radiation

• Genetic Drift

• Speciation

What was a significant factor in the evolution of reptiles during the Permian period?

• Photosynthesis

• Ability to fly

• Development of less porous skin and shelled eggs

• Increased competition from mammals