Scientists
Who is known as the father of evolution?
Charles Darwin
What is the process called where the best adapted organisms survive and reproduce?
Natural selection
What thing shows changes in organisms over time?
Fossil
What do we call the formation of a new species?
Speciation
What is a species?
A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
What is the name of Darwin’s famous book published in 1859?
On the Origin of Species
Fill in the blank: "Survival of the _______."
Fittest
Structures that are similar in different species are called what? (Example: arm bones)
Homologous structures
What random changes in DNA can lead to new traits?
Mutations
What is it called when humans choose specific traits to breed for (ex: dogs)?
Artificial selection
What islands inspired much of Darwin’s work on evolution?
The Galápagos Islands
What can cause an organism to be better suited to its environment?
Adaptations (such as better camouflage, sharper teeth, thicker fur, etc.)
What are body parts called that are no longer useful but still present?
Vestigial structures (like a human appendix or whale pelvis)
What is it called when small changes build up over millions of years?
Gradualism/ Evolution
What is genetic mutation?
A change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genes.
What birds did Darwin study that helped him develop his theory?
Finches
Give an example of a trait that might help an animal survive.
Example answers: Camouflage for a lizard, thicker fur for a polar bear, long neck for a giraffe.
What field studies embryos to show common ancestry?
Embryology
What type of evolution happens very quickly due to sudden changes?
Punctuated equilibrium
What is a common ancestor?
An ancestor shared by two or more species.
True or False: Darwin immediately published his theory after his voyage.
False (He waited over 20 years to publish.)
Name two environmental factors that can drive natural selection.
Examples: Climate changes, predators, food availability, diseases.
True or False: DNA comparisons can show evolutionary relationships.
True (DNA can show how closely related species are.)
What is the term for a group of species that evolve from a common ancestor into different forms?
Adaptive radiation (example: Darwin’s finches evolving into different species)
How does reproduction increase genetic variation?
It mixes genes from two parents, creating more variation among offspring.