Natural Selection
the process of determining the precise order of amino acids in a protein
Amino Acid Sequencing
a branching diagram that illustrates the evolutionary relationships between different species, showing how they are connected through common ancestors
Cladogram
the early stage of a multicellular organism's development, starting after fertilization and ending when the major body parts and organs have formed
Embryo
the state of having the same or similar relation, relative position, or structure.
Homology
distinct layers of rock formed over millions of years from the deposition and compaction of sediments like sand, mud, and organic material
Sedimentary Layers
the scientific study of the structure of living organisms, from microscopic cells to entire bodies
Anatomy
the principle that all life on Earth originated from a single ancestor, and that new species evolve from earlier ones
Common Ancestry
the branch of biology that studies the development of an embryo from fertilization to birth
Embryology
the scientific study of ancient life through fossils to understand the history of life on Earth
Paleontology
uses the molecular and chemical makeup of living organisms to study evolutionary relationships
Biochemical Evidence
the idea that all species are descended from common ancestors and have accumulated changes, or modifications, over time through the process of evolution
Descent with Modification
a diagram that visually represents the evolutionary relationships between different organisms.
Evolutionary Tree
the degree to which organisms or biological entities share observable characteristics, known as phenotypes
Phenotypic Similarity
the study of how and why species and ecosystems are distributed across the globe in both space and time
Bio-geography
the process of determining the order of the four nucleotide bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine) in a DNA molecule
DNA Sequencing
the collection of fossils, or preserved remains of ancient life, found in the Earth's crust, arranged chronologically to show how life has evolved over time
Fossil Record
the branch of biology that deals with phylogenesis.
Phylogeny
body parts in different species that have similar functions but evolved independently of each other
Analogous Structure
a laboratory technique that separates charged molecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins by moving them through a gel using an electric field
Electrophoresis
physical features in different species that share a common ancestor but have evolved to have different functions
Homologous Structure
a biological feature that has lost its original function through evolution and is often reduced in size
Vestigial Structure