Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution persist. People who have taken in the nonsense of pop science often believe that biologists are saying they do not believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS series It provides teachers with materials that promote evolution education and help avoid the kinds of myths that hinder it. It's organized in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It is difficult to properly teach evolution. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even scientists are guilty of using a definition that confuses the issue. This is especially relevant to discussions on the definition of the word itself.
It is therefore essential to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. 에볼루션 바카라 무료체험 for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a simple and efficient manner. It is a companion for the 2001 series, and it is also a resource on its own. The material is presented in a nested fashion that assists in navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, the gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution and its relationship to other scientific concepts. 에볼루션 코리아 gives a comprehensive overview of the manner that evolution has been examined. This information can be used to dispel misconceptions that have been propagated by the creationists.
It is also possible to find the glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency of heritable traits to become better suited to a particular environment. This is a result of natural selection, which happens when organisms with more adaptable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adaptable traits.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor) The most recent ancestor that is shared by two or more species. By studying the DNA of these species, it is possible to determine the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A massive biological molecular containing the necessary information for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences which are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. Mutations are the reason behind the creation of new genetic information inside cells.
Coevolution: A relationship between two species where evolutionary changes in one species are dependent on evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interaction between predator and prey, or parasite and host.
Origins
Species (groups that can interbreed), evolve by a series of natural variations in their offspring's traits. Changes can be caused by numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The development of a new species may take thousands of years and the process could be slowed or increased by environmental factors like climate change or competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site follows the evolution of various groups of animals and plants, focusing on major transitions in each group's past. It also focuses on the human evolutionary roots and humans, a subject that is crucial for students to understand.
Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, when only a few antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. The famous skullcap, with the bones associated with it were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now known as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was one year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's very unlikely that Darwin had heard or seen of it.
While the site focuses on biology, it offers a lot of information about geology and paleontology. One of the most appealing features on the site are a series of timelines which show the way in which climatic and geological conditions have changed over time, as well as a map of the geographical distribution of some of the fossil groups featured on the site.
The site is a companion for a PBS TV series but it can also be used as a resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and provides clear links to the introduction information of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's assistance) and the more specialized features of the museum website. These hyperlinks make it easy to move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated realms of research science. There are links to John Endler's experiments with guppies. They illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has led to many species of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological context and has many advantages over the current observational and experimental methods of examining evolutionary processes. In addition to studying processes and events that take place regularly or over a long period of time, paleobiology allows to analyze the relative abundance of different groups of organisms and their distribution across geological time.
The website is divided into a variety of pathways to understanding evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a line through the scientific process and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The path also explores common misconceptions about evolution as well as the evolution theory's history.
Each of the main sections of the Evolution website is equally well-developed, with materials that support a variety levels of curriculum and teaching methods. In addition to the standard textual content, the site also has an array of interactive and multimedia resources, such as video clips, animations, and virtual labs. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the vast website.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, it provides an overview of the coral's relationships and interactions with other organisms and then zooms in on one clam, which can communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in conditions of the water at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the website, provide an excellent introduction to the broad spectrum of topics in evolutionary biology. The material also provides an explanation of the role of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis, which is a key method to understand evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that is found throughout all branches of biology. A wide range of resources supports teaching about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an exceptional example of an Web site that offers both depth and a variety of educational resources. The site has a variety of interactive learning modules. It also has an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon-like style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this large Web site more closely tied to the field of research science. An animation that introduces the concept of genetics links to a page about John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using guppies on native ponds in Trinidad.
Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this site, which has an extensive library of multimedia resources connected to evolution. The contents are organized into courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives set out in biology standards. It contains seven short videos that are intended for use in the classroom. These are available to stream or purchase as DVDs.
Evolutionary biology remains a field of study with a lot of important questions to answer, such as the causes of evolution and the speed at which it happens. This is especially true in the case of human evolution where it was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that humanity has a special place in creation and a soul, with the notion that our physical traits evolved from the apes.
Additionally there are a variety of ways that evolution can occur and natural selection is the most popular theory. Scientists also study other types like mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection.
While many fields of scientific study conflict with the literal interpretations of religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been a subject of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While some religions have been able to reconcile their beliefs with the notions of evolution, others have not.