How Evolution Works (And How We Figured It Out)

The video explores the concept of evolution, highlighting its role in shaping life on Earth. It discusses the contributions of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace, who developed the theory of natural selection. The video also covers the influence of earlier thinkers and the integration of genetics into evolutionary theory. It explains key concepts like mutation, genetic drift, and gene flow, and introduces the Modern Synthesis, which combines genetics and natural selection. The video concludes with a look at the ongoing study of evolution and its significance in understanding biodiversity.

What is the simplest definition of evolution?

• A static state of being

• A sudden change in species

• Change over time

• A process that never changes

Who were the two naturalists that first introduced the unified explanation of evolution?

• Jean Baptiste Lamarque and Thomas Malthus

• Ronald Fisher and Sewell Wright

• Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace

• Gregor Mendel and Thomas Hunt Morgan

What did Darwin observe in the Galapagos Islands that contributed to his theory?

• Different colors of moths

• Shapes of finches' beaks

• Patterns of butterfly wings

• Sizes of elephant tusks

What was Gregor Mendel's contribution to the understanding of heredity?

• He discovered DNA

• He introduced the concept of genetic drift

• He developed the theory of natural selection

• He found that traits are inherited as discrete units

What did Thomas Hunt Morgan discover about mutations?

• They are always harmful

• They are the only force of evolution

• They are a source of variation

• They do not affect evolution

Which concept explains the random change in gene frequency in small populations?

• Genetic drift

• Gene flow

• Mutation

• Natural selection

What is gene flow?

• The extinction of species

• The selection of advantageous traits

• The random mutation of genes

• The movement of genes between populations

What was the significant discovery in 1953 that advanced the understanding of genetics?

• The theory of natural selection

• The idea of gene flow

• The structure of DNA

• The concept of genetic drift

What does the Modern Synthesis integrate?

• Geology and biology

• Physics and chemistry

• Genetics and evolutionary theory

• Astronomy and evolution

Which mechanism is NOT one of the four major forces of evolution?

• Photosynthesis

• Genetic drift

• Natural selection

• Gene flow