Reg Unit 12: JUST a Theory - Evidences of Evolution

scientific theory

a well-tested explanation for a set of observations or experimental results

fossil record

the millions of fossils that scientists have collected used to learn about the ancestors of modern organisms

artificial selection

Selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms; used as a model for evolution

comparative anatomy

the study of similarities and differences among structures of living species

homologous structures

Structures in different species that are similar because of common ancestry.

analogous structures

structures that do not have a common evolutionary origin but are similar in function

vestigial structures

A structure that is present in an organism but no longer serves its original purpose; supports common ancestry

comparative biochemistry

Study of similarities in biochemical makeup of organisms

geographic distribution

the locations of different species around the world; helps scientists understand when different species evolved

phylogenetic tree

A family tree that shows the evolutionary relationships thought to exist among groups of organisms

comparative embryology

the study of the formation, early growth, and development of different organisms