Science and evolution

Abstract

Evolution is both a fact and a theory. Evolution is widely observable in laboratory and natural populations as they change over time. The fact that we need annual flu vaccines is one example of observable evolution. At the same time, evolutionary theory explains more than observations, as the succession on the fossil record. Hence, evolution is also the scientific theory that embodies biology, including all organisms and their characteristics. In this paper, we emphasize why evolution is the most important theory in biology. Evolution explains every biological detail, similar to how history explains many aspects of a current political situation. Only evolution explains the patterns observed in the fossil record. Examples include the succession in the fossil record; we cannot find the easily fossilized mammals before 300 million years ago; after the extinction of the dinosaurs, the fossil record indicates that mammals and birds radiated throughout the planet. Additionally, the fact that we are able to construct fairly consistent phylogenetic trees using distinct genetic markers in the genome is only explained by evolutionary theory. Finally, we show that the processes that drive evolution, both on short and long time scales, are observable facts.

The Impact of Life Philosophy and Major Field of Study on Brazilian Students’ Knowledge of Biological Evolution

“…The students enrolled in undergraduate courses associated with the Biological Sciences showed higher performance than those from other fields of knowledge. Since evolution is a cornerstone for biology comprehension (Ashraf & Sarfraz, 2016 ; Russo & André, 2019 ), freshmen from Biological Sciences may be more prone to be interested in evolution, which would lead them to a higher knowledge on this subject or better memorization of its concepts. Students from Biological Sciences have shown better performance about evolution (Pazza et al, 2010 ) and are more prone to accept evolution independent of their religious beliefs (Hokayem & BouJaoude, 2008 ).…”

Fantastyczne zwierzęta i jak je... stworzyć. Konstrukcja fantastycznych gatunków w kulturze popularnej

“…U podstaw współczesnej i kopalnej bioróżnorodności leży oczywiście proces ewolucji organizmów drogą doboru naturalnego 12 , opisany ponad 150 lat temu przez Charlesa Darwina 13 i Alfreda Wallace'a 14 . Z czasem teorię Darwina uzupełniono i uszczegółowiono 15 , jako że w połowie XIX wieku brytyjski badacz i jemu współcześni nie wiedzieli jeszcze między innymi, w jaki sposób cechy rodziców są dziedziczone przez potomstwo 16 .…”

Differentiated impacts of human interventions on nature

“…"Evolution is a population concept. An individual does not evolve; only populations evolve in the face of the genetic changes accumulated from one generation to the next" (Russo and André, 2019). Mutation is a source of underlying genetic change in individuals that contributes to variation of phenotype that is acted upon by natural selection which is the underlying mechanism of evolution of populations.…”