What is the modern evolutionary synthesis?
Q: What is the modern evolutionary synthesis?
A: The modern evolutionary synthesis is a scientific theory that explains evolution and how Gregor Mendel's genetic discoveries fit with Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by means of natural selection.
Q: Who is Gregor Mendel?
A: Gregor Mendel is a scientist who discovered how we inherit our genes.
Q: Which biologists contributed to the modern evolutionary synthesis?
A: The key biologists who contributed work to the modern evolutionary synthesis include Julian Huxley, Theodosius Dobzhansky, Ernst Mayr, Ronald Fisher, J.B.S. Haldane, Sewall Wright, G.G. Simpson, E.B. Ford, Bernhard Rensch and G. Ledyard Stebbins.
Q: What did Mendel's genetic discoveries contribute to the modern evolutionary synthesis?
A: Mendel's genetic discoveries helped to explain how genes are inherited and how they contribute to evolution.
Q: What is Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by means of natural selection?
A: Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by means of natural selection states that species evolve over time by the process of natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to their offspring.
Q: What is the significance of the modern evolutionary synthesis?
A: The modern evolutionary synthesis is significant because it brought together different fields of study, such as genetics, evolution, and ecology, to provide a comprehensive explanation of how evolution works.
Q: What were some of the challenges to the modern evolutionary synthesis?
A: Some challenges to the modern evolutionary synthesis include the emergence of new genetic technologies and the discovery of new mechanisms of evolution beyond natural selection, such as genetic drift and horizontal gene transfer.
