1. Microevolution and Charles Darwin
son of a famous English Physician - a Noblemen
was a Naturalist by hobby - collected specimens of nature
did not like Medical School
got his college degree in Theology
in his 20’s took a job as a naturalist aboard the Beagle
his biology teacher got him the job
sailed around the world for five years collecting specimens
based on his findings he introduced Natural Selection as the means of species evolution

2. Artificial Selection: Animal Data
Darwin had practiced
Artificial Selection
in Pigeons by breeding
them for specific traits

3. Artificial Selection: Plant Data
Darwin had seen the effects of Artificial Selection in plant products by breeding them for specific traits

4. Comparative Anatomical Data
The forelimbs of all mammals have the same skeletal elements

5. Comparative Embryological Data
Identifies anatomical homology that is less apparent in adults

6. Geological Data
1830: Lyell publishes Principles of Geology

7. Fossil Data Transitional fossils link the past with the present
It is believed that whales evolved from terrestrial creatures. These fossils from Egypt and Pakistan show an extinct whale (Brachiosaurus) that had hind limbs.
Transitional fossils link the past with the present

8. “Living Fossil” Data
Horseshoe Crabs are an example of a “living fossil”
They have evolved very little over the last 600 million years.

9. South American Data Darwin sails around the world
and in South America is puzzled
by the absence of rabbits.
Instead he finds these rabbit-like Patagonian Hares or Mara (Dolichotis patagonum) that are not rabbits but have similar characteristics as rabbits.
He postulates that they must have evolved just like rabbits because of their similar environments

10. Galapagos Data Darwin sailed next to the Galapagos Islands, a set
of islands 3000 miles away
from any other land source.
He carefully characterized
the island finches based on
their specific traits. He
found that several different
types of birds existed and
each had specific traits that
would allow them access to
a specific food source on the
island.

11. Darwin’s Logic on Natural Selection
Any population has the capacity to produce more individuals than it can support.
If the natural resources are limited this will create a competition for those resources.
Variations in physical traits could give some individuals an advantage in the competition.
This advantage would increase the individual’s survival and reproduction chances.
These physical traits would then be passed on to the individual’s offspring via natural selection.
In this way populations evolve, not individuals.

12. Evolutionary Timeline Summary
10-20 bya: Galaxy forms
5 bya: Earth forms
4 bya: Life forms from non-life
3 bya: Cyanobacteria evolve photosynthesis
500 mya: Explosion of Life - Massive Extinction
150 mya: Dinosaurs evolve
66 mya: Dinosaurs become extinct
5 mya: Humans begin to evolve
50 tya: Neanderthals/Cro-Magnon
10 tya: Homo sapians sapians

13. Dinosaur Extinction? Crater found Dated to dinosaur extinctions
66 million years ago
Iridium
Would we have evolved if this didn’t happen?

14. Humble Beginnings?