15 Evolution Site Benefits That Everyone Should Know
Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, there are still a lot of misconceptions about the evolution. People who have absorbed the nonsense of pop science often believe that biologists claim they do not believe in evolution.
This rich Web site, which is a companion to the PBS program, provides teachers with materials that support the evolution of education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions which make it difficult to understand. It's laid out in the "bread crumb" format to aid in navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It is difficult to effectively teach evolution. Many non-scientists are unable to grasp the concept, and some scientists even use a definition that confuses it. This is particularly relevant to debates about the definition of the word itself.
As such, it is crucial to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and useful way. The website is a companion to the series that first aired in 2001, but can also function as an independent resource. The material is presented in a way that aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor, gradual process and adaptation. These terms help frame the nature of evolution as well as its relation to other scientific concepts. The site also provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been tested and validated. This information can help dispel myths created by creationists.
You can also access a glossary which contains terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency of hereditary traits to become more suited to a particular environment. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted traits are more likely than those with less-adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor: The most recent common ancestor 에볼루션 카지노 사이트 of two or more distinct species. By analyzing the DNA from these species, it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that contains information required for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains known as chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species where evolutionary changes of one species are influenced by evolutionary changes of the other. Examples of coevolution include the interaction between predator and prey, or the parasite and the host.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed) change through a series natural changes in their offspring's traits. These changes are caused by a variety such as natural selection, genetic drift and gene pool mixing. The development of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like climate change or competition for 무료에볼루션 food resources and habitat can slow or speed up the process.
The Evolution site traces the emergence of a variety of species of plants and animals over time and focuses on the most significant transitions that occurred in each group's history. It also focuses on human evolution and is a subject that is of particular interest to students.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, at a time when only a few antediluvian fossils of humans had been found. The most famous among them was the skullcap and the associated bones discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, which is now known to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, just a year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's highly unlikely that Darwin had seen or heard of it.
The site is mostly a biology site however, it also has many details on paleontology and geology. Among the best features on the site are a set of timelines that show how geological and climatic conditions have changed over time and an outline of the geographical distribution of some fossil groups listed on the site.
Although the site is a companion piece to a PBS television series but it also stands on its own as an excellent resource for teachers and students. The site is extremely well organized and provides clear links between the introductory information in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more sophisticated elements of the museum Web site. These hyperlinks help users move from the cartoon-like style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. There are links to John Endler’s experiments with guppies that illustrate the importance ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has resulted in many species of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their natural environment, has many advantages over modern observational or 에볼루션 슬롯게임 (Learn Even more Here) research methods for studying evolutionary phenomena. In addition to exploring the processes and events that happen frequently or over a long period of time, paleobiology is able to examine the relative abundance of different groups of organisms and their distribution throughout the course of geological time.
The site is divided into several optional paths to learning evolution, including "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 misconceptions regarding evolution, as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is equally well developed, with materials that support a variety of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. In addition to general textual content, the site offers an array of multimedia and interactive resources, such as videos, animations, and virtual laboratories. The breadcrumb-like organization of the content helps with navigation and orientation on the vast Web site.
For example the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of coral relationships and their interaction with other organisms. It then concentrates on a specific clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in water conditions that occur at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the site, offer an excellent introduction to a broad spectrum of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes an overview of the role of natural selectivity and the concept of phylogenetics as a key tool for understanding evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students the concept of evolution is a major thread that weaves together all branches of the field. A vast collection of resources supports teaching about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, which is the companion to PBS's television series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of a Web site that provides depth as well as broadness in terms of educational resources. The site offers a range of interactive learning modules. It also features an encased "bread crumb" structure that allows students to move from the cartoon-like style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are closer to the field of research science. For instance an animation that introduces the notion of genetic inheritance leads to a page that focuses on John Endler's artificial selection experiments using guppies in the ponds of his native country of Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website is a vast multimedia library of assets related to evolution. The content is organized in curricula-based paths that correspond to the learning goals set forth in biology standards. It contains seven videos specifically designed for use in classrooms. These can be viewed online or purchased as DVDs.
A number of important questions remain at the core of evolutionary biology, including the factors that trigger evolution and how fast it happens. This is particularly relevant to human evolution, where it's been difficult to reconcile the notion that the physical traits of humans derived from apes and religious beliefs that claim that humanity is unique among living things and holds a a special place in creation with soul.
There are also a number of other ways in which evolution can occur including natural selection, which is the most widely accepted theory. However, scientists also study other kinds of evolution, such as mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection, among others.
While many fields of scientific study are in conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been a subject of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have reconciled their beliefs with evolutionary biology, but others haven't.