The immutability of species
What is the idea that each individual species on the planet was specially created by God and could never fundamentally change.
Paleontology
What is the study of fossils?
What is the HMS Beagle?
Two of the main sets of data against macroevolution.
What are (any two):
The fossil record
Structural homology
Molecular biology
What main problem with Darwin's hypothesis did punctuated equilibrium attempt to solve?
It attempts to explain away the fact that the fossil record is devoid of any real intermediate links.
Microevolution
What is the theory that natural selection can, over time, take an organism and transform it into a more specialized species of that organism?
Structural homology
What is the study of similar structures in different species?
Who was Charles Lyell?
List two ways a bacterium can become resistant to an antibiotic
What are (list two):
conjugation, transformation, transduction, or mutation
How would an adherent to punctuated equilibrium explain the lack of intermediate links in the fossil record?
He would say that since the transition from species to species takes such a short amount of time, there is virtually no chance of an intermediate link being fossilized.
Macroevolution
What is the hypothesis that processes similar to those at work in microevolution can, over eons of time, transform an organism into a completely different kind of organism?
Cambrian Explosion
What is the fact that every major animal phylum in creation can be found in Cambrian rock?
He dispelled the idea of the immutability of species.
Who was Darwin?
Consider a fish population that is trying to survive under conditions of extremely cold water. If, over several generations, the fish develop thicker fat layers under their skin for better insulation, is this an example of microevolution or macroevolution?
Microevolution
What problems mentioned in this module still exist for those who believe in punctuated equilibrium?
Structural homology and molecular biology still say that macroevolution (even by punctuated equilibrium) could not have happened.
Strata
What are distinct layers of rock?
The Origin of Species
What is the book written by Charles R. Darwin that attempted to explain the diversity of life on earth with no reference to God?
The evolutionary process in which the same genetic code exists throughout the change. The changes that occur are simply the result of variation within that genetic code.
What is Microevolution?
If a bacterium has a mutation that makes it resistant to an antibiotic, does information get added to its genetic code?
No
What main problem with Darwin's hypothesis did Neo-Darwinism hope to solve?
Neo-Darwinism hoped to provide a mechanism by which information could be added to the genetic code of an organism.
Fossils
What is the preserved remains of once-living organisms?
Thomas Malthus
Who was a scientist who studied populations and inspired Darwin's idea that life is a struggle for survival?
The evolutionary process in which information must be added to the genetic code, essentially creating a new genetic code.
What is macroevolution?
Based on macroevolutionary assumptions, which organism's cytochrome C should most resemble that of a yeast: a kangaroo or a bacterium?
A bacterium
What age-old concept was Darwin able to dispel with his research?
The immutability of the species.