15 Of The Best Documentaries On Evolution Site
Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misinformation about evolution remain. People who have absorbed the nonsense of pop science often believe that biologists are saying they don't believe in evolution.
This rich website - companion to the PBS series offers teachers with resources which support evolution education and avoids the kinds of myths that hinder it. It's arranged in a nested "bread crumb" format for ease of navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's not easy to properly teach evolution. Many non-scientists are unable to grasp the concept and some scientists use a definition that confuses it. This is especially true when discussing the nature of the words themselves.
As such, it is important to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in a straightforward and useful manner. The site is a companion to the show which first aired in 2001, but can also function as an independent resource. The information is presented in a structured manner that makes it simpler to navigate and understand.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process, and adaptation. mouse click the next page help frame the nature of evolution and its relationship to evolution with other scientific concepts. The website provides a summary of the manner that evolution has been examined. This information can be used to dispel the myths that have been engendered by creationists.
It is also possible to get the glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency for heritable traits to become better adaptable to a specific environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with better-adapted characteristics are more likely than those with less adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor) is the most recent ancestor shared by two or more species. By analyzing the DNA from these species it is possible to determine the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A massive biological molecular that contains the information needed for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences which are strung into long chains called chromosomes. Mutations are responsible for the creation of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relation between two species in which the evolutionary changes of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Examples of coevolution include the interactions between predator and prey or the parasite and the host.
Origins
Species (groups which can interbreed) change by a series of natural variations in their offspring's traits. The changes can be triggered by a variety of causes that include natural selection, genetic drift, and mixing of gene pools. The evolution of new species can take thousands of years. Environmental conditions, like changes in the climate or competition for food or habitat can impede or accelerate the process.
The Evolution site tracks through time the evolution of various groups of animals and plants with a focus on major changes in each group's past. It also explores human evolution, which is a topic that is of particular interest to students.
When Darwin wrote the Origin in 1859, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been found. Among them was the famous skullcap and bones that were discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany, which is now known to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. While the skullcap wasn't published until 1858, one year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it's extremely unlikely that Darwin had seen or heard of it.
The site is primarily a biology site, but it also contains lots of information about paleontology and geology. Among 에볼루션 무료체험 of the website are a set of timelines that illustrate how climatic and geological conditions have changed over time as well as an outline of the distribution of a few fossil groups listed on the site.
The site is a companion to the PBS TV series but it could be used as a resource by teachers and students. The site is very well-organized and has clear links between the introductory content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specialized elements of the museum's web site. These links facilitate the transition from the cartoon-like style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. In particular, there are links to John Endler's experiments using guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has led to a wide variety of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures in their geological context, has many advantages over modern observational or research methods for exploring evolutionary phenomena. In addition to studying the processes and events that happen frequently or over a long period of time, paleobiology allows to analyze the relative abundance of various kinds of organisms as well as their distribution throughout geological time.
The Web site is divided into several optional pathways to understanding evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the nature of science and the evidence supporting the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution theory's history.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is equally well constructed, with materials that support a variety of curriculum levels and pedagogical styles. The site has a range of multimedia and interactive resources that include videos, animations, and virtual labs, in addition to its general textual content. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the vast website.
For instance the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms. Then, it narrows down to a single clam that can communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in water conditions at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages offers a great introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The content also includes a discussion of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is a crucial tool in understanding evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students, evolution is a key thread that connects all branches of the field. A rich collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, which is a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an outstanding example of an Web site that offers both depth and breadth in its educational resources. The site has a variety of interactive learning modules. It also has a "bread crumb structure" that helps students move away from the cartoon-like style used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements of this vast website that are closely linked to the fields of research science. For example, an animation introducing the idea of genetic inheritance connects to a page that focuses on John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using guppies in the ponds of his native country of Trinidad.
The Evolution Library on this website is a vast multimedia library of materials that deal to evolution. The contents are organized into curriculum-based paths that parallel the learning objectives set out in biology standards. It contains seven videos designed specifically for use in the classroom, and can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.
Evolutionary biology is still a field of study that poses many important questions, such as what triggers evolution and how fast it occurs. This is especially relevant to human evolution, which has made it difficult to reconcile the notion that the innate physical characteristics of humans evolved from apes, and the religious beliefs that claim that humans are unique among living things and holds a an exclusive place in the creation. It is soul.
In addition there are a myriad of ways in which evolution could occur with natural selection being the most popular theory. Scientists also study other kinds like mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection.
Although many scientific fields of study are in conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been a source of intense debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. While certain religions have managed to reconcile their beliefs with the ideas of evolution, other religions have not.