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Evolution Discussed

Evolution of Ape-Men
Natural Selection
3 Misconceptions of Evolution
Evolution Discussed

A Discussion of Evolution

Ancestry of Organisms.

The theory of common decent states all organisms on Earth descend from a common ancestor or ancestral gene pool

Evidence from common descent is viewed by the similar traits in all organisms. Also every living organism has nucleic acids and also has the 20 amino acids of proteins. The generation of non-living matte rheas never been observed.

The evolution process is very slow in most cases but it is possible for it to be fast as well. We know from geology the Earth is 4.6 million years old Fossil evidence states the Earth was also very diverse back then as well.

A National Science Foundation found that evolution in the wild can be 10 thousand to 10 million times faster than the educated guess. Study of planets can also give us evidence about the age of our Earth and its changes throughout the millions of years.

Morphological evidence

Fossils can estimate different characteristics in a once living organism. Fossil evidence without hard body parts exists in microfossils and in burrows of soft bodied organisms.

Fossil evidence of pre-historic life can be found throughout the Earth. It can lead to important clues like. Why are there fossil shells on the Himalayas? Radiometric Dating can determine their age. Fossils we find can either be radically different or either similar. Evolution clues and evidence can help back the theory.

Looking for key features in fossils can give information that leads to what type of animal lived here at the time. Fossils can also be used as evidence to find missing links within the chains and ancestry of animals.

Origin of life

Whilst we know little about the early development of life. Organisms do share similar traits. These include the type of cell they have and similarities and differences in their DNA structure. The current theory proposed by scientists is that all organisms share a common ancestor, who had the origin of life or the tree domains. Archea, Bacteria and Eukaryota.

History of life

It is probable that oxygen was introduced to our atmosphere around 3 billion years ago. This was a major milestone because it gave way to the ability of cellular respiration. In the past billion years there was the emergence of the first animals. There was a lot of diversity in the ecosystem that existed then if any. This was the first formations in the planning and production of the first modern animals. 500 million years ago plants and fungi lived on the land giving clues to the moisture in the air. These are the first ecosystems we will be familiar to.


Mutations are permanent genetic changes in the form of DNA and RNA. This is caused by copying errors in the process of reproduction. This can occur in 3 ways: radiation, chemicals or viruses.

Mutations can be either good or bad. It may affect different levels in the body depending like the rate of reproduction.

Mechanisms of inheritance

Inherited traits are traced through the genes which are encoded in molecular molecules which are known as DNA. From mutation DNA can be changed slightly and it always changes. We know this because no organism is the same. For example; I am much different to another person in my street.

There are factors in frequency of existing alleles. This means some traits will live on whilst other slowly die out or become extinct. Natural selection, gene flow and genetic drift affect the survival of a gene.

Gene flow

Gene flow is the process of populations becoming similar of closely genetically related whilst building gene pools. Migration from one population to another can result in a gene flow. This will only occur when the environment and culture don't change.

Genetic drift

Genetic drift is the change in an allele frequency from one generation to another. Genetic drift can also change when the size of the population is smaller or larger. Differences in the frequency in successful generations can result in alleles dying out in a population. There can be a drift when separate populations start to become different in the characteristics of their genes. So alleles can be existent in one whilst not in the other.

Natural selection is efficient in big populations because alleles are common in that population. But a genetic drift is stronger in smaller populations. The amount of people in a population that share those same alleles depends on the size of that population. So a smaller population would be quicker at acquiring that common allele.


By natural selection organisms become more adapted to their surroundings. An adaptation occurs over a long amount of time but it is usually shorter. It is the environment forcing them to change a characteristic in order to survive. So if the world started cooling over a long period of time a mammal like a human will be adapting to grow more body hair.

Biologists believe that an adaptation occurs when there are a string of small mutations. But, a macro mutation can involve one very large change in a mutation.


Extinction is the disappearance of a species or gene pool. Extinction occurs at the death of the last of its species. In a geological time the real threat of extinction is humans as there have been no major environmental changes. Species are created through speciation but die-out through extinction.

Can you please explain to me about 'intelligent design'?
Intelligent design is very similar to Creationism. Intelligent design states that a super power or super being put humans on the Earth just as they are and supplied everything needed. Hence there was no need for evolution we already had everything in its one and only state. Intelligent Design basically says that God put Adam and Eve on Earth around 6000BC and nothing ever changed. But, we know for a fact the Earth is older than this so much of this is discredited or either discarded.


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By Jimmy K and Andrew H