6. EVOLUTION
The chapter provides an in-depth exploration of evolution, detailing the origin of life and the evolutionary processes that have shaped biodiversity on Earth. It examines theories of natural selection proposed by Darwin and others, evidence supporting evolution from fossils and embryology, and the mechanisms driving evolutionary change. The narrative weaves together the scientific findings that elucidate the gradual emergence of life forms, ultimately culminating in the evolution of modern humans.
Enroll to start learning
You've not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Sections
Navigate through the learning materials and practice exercises.
What we have learnt
- Evolution is a process resulting from natural selection acting on heritable traits.
- Chemical evolution likely predated the emergence of cellular life forms on Earth.
- Fossil records, comparative anatomy, and genetic analysis provide compelling evidence for the theory of evolution.
Key Concepts
- -- Natural Selection
- The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.
- -- Adaptive Radiation
- The diversification of a group of organisms into forms filling different ecological niches.
- -- Panspermia
- The hypothesis that life exists throughout the universe and is distributed by meteoroids, asteroids, comets, planetoids, and spacecraft.
- -- Homology
- Similarities between organisms due to shared ancestry, evidenced through comparable anatomical structures.
- -- HardyWeinberg Principle
- A principle that describes and predicts genetic variation in a population that is not evolving.
Additional Learning Materials
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.