10 Top Books On Evolution Site
Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions about evolution remain. 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 complement to the PBS program offers teachers resources that promote evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions that can make it difficult to understand. It's arranged in a nested "bread crumb" format to make it easy for navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complex and difficult subject matter to teach well. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists and even scientists have been guilty of using a definition that confuses the issue. This is particularly applicable to discussions on the nature of the word.
It is therefore crucial to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and useful way. The site serves as a companion for the 2001 series, and also a resource on its own. The content 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 frame the nature of evolution and its relation to other concepts in science. The site gives a comprehensive overview of the way that evolution has been tested. This information can be used to dispel the myths that have been created by the creationists.
You can also consult a glossary that includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the process of changing heritable traits to become better suited to an environment. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely than those with less-adapted traits to reproduce and survive.
Common ancestor (also known as 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 identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that contains the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains called chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is the relationship between two species, where the evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interaction between predator and prey or the parasite and the host.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals that can interbreed) change through natural changes in the traits of their offspring. Changes can be caused by numerous factors, like natural selection, gene drift, and mixing of the gene pool. The development of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like changes in the climate or competition for food or habitat, can slow or 에볼루션 바카라 무료 accelerate the process.
The Evolution site tracks the evolution of various species of plants and animals over time, focusing on the major 에볼루션 무료체험 사이트 [Psicolinguistica.Letras.Ufmg.Br] shifts that occurred throughout each group's history. It also examines the evolution of humans and is a subject that is of particular interest for students.
Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, when just a handful of antediluvian fossils of humans had been found. The most famous among them was the skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 at the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, 에볼루션 슬롯게임 which is now known to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was one year after the first edition of the Origin appeared, it is highly unlikely that Darwin had heard or seen of it.
The site is primarily a biology site, but it also contains lots of information about geology and paleontology. One of the most appealing features of the Web site are a timeline of events that illustrate the way in which climatic and geological conditions have changed over time, and an outline of the distribution of some of the fossil groups featured on the site.
The site is a companion to the PBS television series, but it can also be used as an educational resource for teachers and students. The site is extremely well-organized and offers clear links between the introductory content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specialized components of the museum's Web site. These links make it easier to transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated realms of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has produced a diversity of plants, animals, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their natural environment and has a number of advantages over the current observational and experimental methods for analyzing evolutionary processes. Paleobiology focuses on not just the processes and 에볼루션코리아 events that happen regularly or over time, but also the distribution and frequency of different species of animals across geological time.
The site is divided up into various paths that can be chosen to gain knowledge about evolution. One of these paths, "Evolution 101," takes the viewer through the nature and 에볼루션 슬롯 evidence of evolution. The course also focuses on misconceptions about evolution as well as the history of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is equally constructed, with materials that can support a variety of educational levels and pedagogical styles. The site has a range of multimedia and interactive resources that include video clips, animations and virtual laboratories as well as general textual content. The content is laid out in a nested bread crumb-like fashion that helps with navigation and orientation within the vast Web site.
For example the page "Coral Reef Connections" gives a brief overview of coral relationships and their interactions with other organisms. It then concentrates on a specific clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in water conditions that occur at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, offers a great introduction to the many areas of evolutionary biology. The content also includes an explanation of the role of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is a key method to understand evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is an underlying thread that runs through all branches of biology. A rich collection of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, the companion to PBS's TV series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of an Web page that provides depth and wide range of educational resources. The site offers a range of interactive learning modules. It also has an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are more closely tied to the world of research science. Animation that introduces the concept of genetics, which links to a page that highlights John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using Guppies living in ponds native to Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website has a huge multimedia library of materials that deal with evolution. The content is organized into curricula-based paths that correspond to the learning goals set forth in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos intended for use in the classroom. They can be streamed or purchased as DVDs.
A number of important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, such as the factors that trigger evolution and how fast it happens. This is particularly relevant for humans' evolution where it was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that humans have a distinct place in creation and a soul, with the idea that innate physical traits evolved from the apes.
In addition there are a myriad of ways that evolution can occur, with natural selection being the most widely accepted theory. Scientists also study different types such as genetic drift, and sexual selection.
While many scientific fields of study conflict with literal interpretations found in religious texts, evolution biology has been the subject of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the ideas of evolution, other religions aren't.
