03b - Darwin & Evidence of Evolution

Charles Darwin

Naturalist and geologist who theorized evolution by natural selection.

Charles Darwin’s famous study 

On the Origin of Species in 1859.

Natural Selection

The process whereby organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Comparative anatomy

The study of similarities and differences in the anatomy of different organisms, including homologous and analogous structures.

Homologous structures

Anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestor, exhibiting similar anatomy but different functions.

Analogous structures

Body parts in different species that perform a similar function but do not share a common ancestor.

Vestigial structures

Body parts that have lost their original function through evolution, yet are retained.

Embryology

The study of embryonic development, which can show similarities among dissimilar vertebrate species.

Fossil records

Historical remains of organisms that provide evidence for the gradual changes of species over time.

Radiometric dating

A technique used to date materials by determining the decay of radioactive isotopes.

Transitional forms

Fossils that show intermediary states between different species, supporting the theory of evolution.

DNA/biochemical comparisons

The analysis of genetic material to determine the evolutionary relationships between species.

Phylogenetic tree

A diagram showing the evolutionary relationships among various biological species based on similarities and differences.

Biogeography

The study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time.

Observational evidence

Collected from observing real-time evolution, such as antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

Antibiotic resistance

The ability of bacteria to resist the effects of an antibiotic that once could successfully treat the infection.