1. Introduction to Evolution

3. Tree of Life All species are related
All species share a common ancestor
Evolution…is how the tree of life gets bigger!

4. Fixed Species Hypothesis
All species had always been the same, and would never change (Aristotle, 2000 years ago)

5. 1800s – Fossils are Discovered

6. Transmutation Hypothesis (1800s)
Jean Baptiste de Lamarck
Acquired traits could be passed down to offspring

7. Charles Darwin
: world voyage on HMS Beagle

8. Natural Selection
“Survival of the Fittest” – only the best adapted individuals survived to pass their genes to offspring
Over time, a population’s traits can change

10. Gregor Mendel
Basic principles of genetics – how characteristics were passed down to offspring
How organisms could change from one generation to the next

11. Putting it all together
Genetic mutations = changes in organisms
Environmental changes = changes in organisms
How? Natural Selection (Darwin)

12. What is a scientific theory?
Hypothesis -suggested explanation -uncertain -limited data -educated guess / idea
Theory
-supported explanation
-lots of certainty
-lots of data & test
-general belief
Evolution is THE major theory that underlies the field of biology!

13. A theory can be wrong
How? If new evidence disproves it

14. I can… Explain the Fixed Species hypothesis
Explain Lamarck’s Transmutation hypothesis
Explain Darwin’s and Mendel’s contributions to the Theory of Evolution
Explain the difference between a scientific hypothesis and a scientific theory