By: Deanna Jones

 The discovery of evolution is one of the most powerful scientific achievements of all time.  Evolution explains why Earth is so diverse.  Evolutionary science provides the foundation for modern biology.  Evolution is being undermined by efforts to introduce non scientific concepts about evolution into science classrooms.

 How it works: Observe → Question → Test → Construct explanations based on evidence.  A theory is an explanation of something in nature that’s supported by many facts.  Gravity is a theory

 Biological traits pass from parent to offspring.  This is the basis of evolution  Natural selection is how some traits succeed and others fail in a given environment.  Evidence for evolution has accumulated for 150 years.

 Fossils that more closely resemble today’s life forms are found in younger rock layers whereas more distantly resembled fossils are found in older layers.  Natural selection has been identified as a driving force behind these changes.

 Traits are passed from parent to offspring.  DNA studies support findings from other branches of science

 There are common structures and behaviors among species.  Successor species have the same basic arrangement of limb bones.

 Some people say diversity of life did not evolve through natural processes.  They argue that creationism should be added to the science curriculum  Gaps in fossil records  Too complex organisms  Creationist arguments are based off belief but science can only investigate naturally occurring phenomena.

 Many scientists have written that their faith has improved through scientific evidence for evolution  Some religions have accepted evidence for evolution.

 China came down with a virus known as SARS and spread causing many deaths  A virus was found in the tissue of an infected person  In short, people could then be tested for the disease and quarantined.

 Using the principles of evolution, scientists can predict what new fossils will look like.  Tiktaalik was a creature with characteristics of both land and water dwellers.

I personally believe in Creationism. I think that a world as complex as ours could never have happened on its own. People say that the chances of life being able to have been created in the first place are extremely small, and if one little thing had been off, it would not have happened. How can something so precise have happened on chance?