The document provides evidence from multiple scientific disciplines to support the theory of evolution. It discusses how fossils, geology, comparative anatomy and biochemistry, and other fields have contributed overwhelming evidence that life has changed over time through natural selection and common descent. The fossil record shows how life on Earth has diversified from a few common ancestors over billions of years. Comparative anatomy reveals homologous and analogous structures that support evolutionary relationships between organisms. Radiometric dating has precisely determined the age of fossils and Earth to be billions of years old, supporting the vast timescale evolution requires. Together this evidence from various sciences has established evolution as the fundamental explanatory framework of biology.

1. Evidence of Change Evolution

2. “Evolve” Means to Change Over Time The belief that life on Earth has changed over time is quite old To be considered science, this belief requires a great deal of evidence Evolution

3. The Development of Evolutionary Theory Naturalists have always wondered at the diversity of living things……… Great varieties in shape, size, and ecological role Estimated 3 million to 20 million different living species Much of the natural world’s biodiversity has vanished through extinction 99% of all species that ever lived are now extinct Permian-Triassic Mass Extinction What Killed the Dinosaurs? Evolution

4. Development of Evolutionary Theory What could cause such great diversity, and why have so many species died out? Charles Darwin offered an explanation based on careful observations Who was Charles Darwin? Evolution

5. Development of Evolutionary Theory Darwin Concluded: Physical traits and behaviors enable organisms to survive and reproduce (called Fitness ) Fitness results from adaptations Darwin reasoned that adaptations result from natural selection and result in evolution Evolution Evolution is the process by which living things change and diversify over time

6. Development of Evolutionary Theory These ideas were widely challenged until a tremendous amount of evidence was gathered to support evolution! Now…The Theory of Evolution is the Cornerstone of Biology Explore the Evolution Revolution Evolution

7. Evolution Evidence to Support Evolution

8. The Origin of Life Geology The Fossil Record Comparative Embryology Comparative Biochemistry Comparative Anatomy Isn’t Evolution Just a Theory? Scientists from many disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, geology, and paleontology have contributed to the case for evolution! Evidence to Support Evolution

9. The Origin of Life Origin of the Universe Big Bang ( animation ) Early Earth Evolution Starts Up: Chemical Evolution Heterotroph Hypothesis: Molecules of life arose from inorganic building blocks Evidence to Support Evolution

10. The Miller-Urey Experiment Studied Molecules Present at Time of Early Earth Methane, Ammonia, Carbon Dioxide, Water Vapor Mixed Molecules in Reaction Chamber Sparked with Electricity to Simulate Lightning Exposed Mixture to UV Radiation to Simulate Cosmic Rays Produced Basic Amino Acids and Organic Molecules Evidence to Support Evolution

11. Miller-Urey Apparatus Evidence to Support Evolution

12. Biological Evolution RNA as a information molecule and catalyst Endosymbiotic Theory Mitochondria and chloroplasts were originally free living prokaryotic cells Both have own DNA and ribosomes Joined together to cooperate

13. Geology The Study of the Earth and Rocks Early Ideas About Earth: People believed Earth was only a few thousand years old People believed that rocks and geological features were shaped by catastrophic events and rarely changed Evidence to Support Evolution

14. Geology In the 18 th and 19 th Century Scientists Studied Geology in Great Detail Over millions of years 1 original continent Pangea drifted apart to make our modern continents Continental drift is gradual “gradualism” Evidence to Support Evolution

15. Geology Hutton and Lyell: Earth is Changed by Weather and Natural Processes like Volcanoes and Erosion Takes a Very Long Time!

16. Geology These ideas refute the idea that the Earth is only a few thousand years old Backed up by radiometric dating The Earth is approximately 4.6 Billion Years Old 4,600,000,000 years is a long time! Evidence to Support Evolution

17. The Fossil Record Fossils are the preserved remains of ancient organisms Provide information about past organisms Shows that many diverse organisms lived at different times in Earth’s History Evidence to Support Evolution

18. The Fossil Record Taphonomy: The Formation of Fossils Fossils form in sedimentary rock Dead organisms covered by sand and silt Sediments are passed into bone by pressure from above (fossils form in sedimentary rock) Video Evidence to Support Evolution

19. Determining the Age of Fossils Relative Dating: Technique used by scientists to determine the age of fossils relative to fossils in other layers of rock Different layers represent different geologic periods Older fossils found in lower layers, newer fossils found in upper layers Cannot determine the actual age of the fossil! Evidence to Support Evolution

20. Determining the Age of Fossils Radioactive Dating: Process by which traces of radioactive elements are analyzed to calculate the actual age of a fossil Many radioactive elements can be used as geologic clocks. Each radioactive element decays at its own nearly constant rate. Once this rate is known, geologists can estimate the length of time over which decay has been occurring by measuring the amount of radioactive parent element and the amount of stable daughter elements Video Evidence to Support Evolution

21. Radiometric Dating Evidence to Support Evolution Radioactive Parent Stable Daughter Half life Potassium 40 Argon 40 1.25 billion yrs Rubidium 87 Strontium 87 48.8 billion yrs Thorium 232 Lead 208 14 billion years Uranium 235 Lead 207 704 million years Uranium 238 Lead 206 4.47 billion years Carbon 14 Nitrogen 14 5730 years

22. The Geologic Time Scale Based on fossil and geologic evidence A record of the Earth’s past Divided into Era, Period, and Epoch Shows that life on Earth followed geologic change on Earth Deep Time Activity Interactive Time Scale Evidence to Support Evolution

23. Comparative Embryology Embryos are organisms at early stages of development Evidence to Support Evolution

24. Comparative Embryology All vertebrate embryos, including humans, share features Eye spot (Evolution of the Human Eye) Gill pouches Notochord Shows similar genetic ancestry Video Evidence to Support Evolution

25. Comparative Biochemistry All life is based on organic chemistry Carbon based compounds All life uses same molecule as blueprint DNA Similar chemical processes Bacteria, algae, and plants all do photosynthesis Similar organisms have similar genetic code Humans and chimpanzees share nearly identical genes (98.4% identical gene sequences) Video Evidence to Support Evolution

26. Anatomy and Comparative Anatomy Vestigial Organs Organs inherited but not used by modern organisms Present but greatly reduced in modern organisms Hip bone in python Appendix in human Tail bone (cocyx) in human Evidence to Support Evolution

27. Anatomy: Homologous Structures Similar parts of different organisms, often quite dissimilar in purpose, that developed from the same ancestral body parts (Video) Divergent evolution Evidence to Support Evolution

28. Anatomy: Analogous Structures Similar in purpose, but not inherited from a recent common ancestor Environment selected for trait Wings of birds and insects Convergent evolution Evidence to Support Evolution

29. Summary There is overwhelming evidence to support the Theory of Evolution Evidence comes from disciplines as varied as biology, geology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and paleontology Evolution has produced the great beauty and diversity of life on Earth over the last 4 billion years Evidence to Support Evolution

30. Natural Selection and Speciation

31. Charles Darwin Studied Medicine and Theology Excelled in Geology and Biology In 1831 Darwin joined the H.M.S. Beagle on a trip around the world to make maps He was the ship’s naturalist Darwin’s Diary

32. The Voyage of the Beagle: Ports of Call Noted that populations of organisms were slightly different from place to place Each group was modified to their specific environment

33. The Galapagos Archipelago

34. Land Iguana Marine Iguana The Galapagos Iguanas

35. The Galapagos Tortoises

36. The Galapagos Tortoises

37. The Galapagos Finches

38. The Galapagos Finches The Origin of Species Interactive Exploration

39. Evolution Through Natural Selection There is variation in populations caused by genetics (Praying Mantis Camouflage) Many more offspring are produced than can survive. Many die through predation or starvation Some variations are favorable and help organisms compete to survive and reproduce Over time, the organisms with favorable variations become plentiful. The ones without favorable variations become rare or extinct Reluctantly published On the Origin of Species in 1859 Video

40. Speciation Natural Selection modifies populations. Some evolutionary changes are so great that some organisms can no longer interbreed with the original population A new species results Species An interbreeding population of organisms that can produce healthy, fertile offspring

41. Reproductive Barriers and Speciation Prezygotic: gametes never meet and fuse Geographic isolation (allopatric speciation) Ecological isolation Behavioral isolation (lacewing songs) Mechanical isolation Seasonal isolation Postzygotic: genetic differences manifest Hybrid inviability Hybrid sterility ( tigons and ligers)

42. Patterns in Evolution Adaptive Radiation Development of numerous new species from a common ancestor in diverse environments Darwin’s Finches (Origin of Species Activity) Gradualism Punctuated Equilibrium

43. Evolution Produces Diversity All living things are classified by characteristics into 5 kingdoms of life Monera: bacteria, unicellular prokaryotes Protista: single celled eukaryotes Fungi: multicellular, eukaryotic, nonmotile, heterotrophs Plantae: multicellular, eukaryotic, autotrophs Animalia: multicellular, eukaryotic, motile, heterotropohs

44. Linnean Taxonomy Example: human classification Kingdom animalia Phylum chordata Class mammalia Order primate Family hominid Genus homo Species sapiens Binomial nomenclature uses genus and species to make the scientific name Homo sapiens Classification activity

45. Human Evolution

46. Explore Human Evolution View the Becoming Human broadband documentary As you view each segment, visit the related exhibits to further explore this topic Go to the Learning Center and select the “Calculating Cousins” activity Go to the Learning Center and select the “Chromosome Connection” activity Go to the Learning Center and select the “Building Bodies” activity

47. The Order Primate Characteristics of Primates Strong hands and opposable thumbs Free-moving shoulder joint Forward facing eyes and stereoscopic vision Intelligence/larger brain Social complexity

48. What Characteristics do Humans Have? All of those of primates, plus Upright posture and bipedal Use of tools and technology Advanced intelligence Complex communication and speech

49. The Steps to Human Evolution Terrestrialization Bipedal (Walking on all two’s) Increased Brain Size Civilization Take a look at the Human family tree

50. The Hominid Family Each year new fossils are found to add to the Hominid family tree Most fossils of early humans are found in Africa and lower Asia Most well understood members include genus Australopithecus (extinct) and genus Homo Solve the Riddle of the Bones

51. Genus Australopithecus First human ancestor to live on the ground and walk on two legs As evidenced by the Laetoli footprints Ape-like jaw Small brain Short stature Found only in South and East Africa

52. The Australopithecines A. anamesis 4 MYA A. afarensis 3.2 MYA (Finding “Lucy”) A. africanus 2.5 MYA A. robustus 2 MYA A. boisei 2 MYA

53. Genus Homo More modern hominids that exhibited major evolutionary steps Increased brain size Use of tools Use of fire Use of shelter Religion Language and civilization

54. Homo habilis “The Tool Man” Approx. 2.5 MYA Brain ½ size of modern human First to make and use stone tools and weapons

55. Homo erectus “The Upright Man” Direct ancestor of modern humans Widespread in Africa and Asia by 1 MYA Evidence of use of shelter and fire

56. Homo sapiens “The Wise Man” Most likely evolved from H. erectus as early as 400,000 years ago Greatly increased brain size Consisted of 2 groups Neanderthal Cro-Magnon/modern H. sapiens

57. Neanderthals Found in Neander Valley in Germany Fossils found throughout Europe, Middle East, and Asia from 150,000-30,000 years ago Large bodies and brains Evidenced painting, religion, complex social structure “Cave man”

58. Cro Magnons and Fully Modern Humans First early modern H. sapiens appear about 130,000 years ago Thinner bones, smaller jaws, higher skull with little or no brow ridge, and larger brains Cave art shows complex religion and culture Lived alongside Neanderthal for several thousand years, but eventually out-competed them