What is evolution?
Q: What is evolution?
A: Evolution is a biological process in which living things change over time and new species develop.
Q: Who said "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution"?
A: Theodosius Dobzhansky, a well-known evolutionary biologist, said "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution".
Q: What causes evolution?
A: Evolution is mostly caused by natural selection. Living things have different characteristics which make it easier for them to survive and reproduce, and these differences continue over time leading to changes that create new species.
Q: How do we know that life has changed over time?
A: We can see evidence of life changing over time through fossils found in rocks. These fossils show us how animals and plants from long ago are different from those today, proving that evolution has taken place.
Q: How was it proven that all organisms share common descent?
A: In 2010 an analysis compared DNA sequences between organisms to phylogenetic trees, providing strong quantitative support for the idea of common descent.
Q: What does phylogenetic tree mean?
A: A phylogenetic tree is a diagram used to show relationships between different groups of organisms based on their evolutionary history. It shows how closely related they are by tracing back their shared ancestors.
