Question

1. Find one new fossil discovery, how it did/did not change what is already known for species related to the discovery and how it relates to Darwin’s theory of evolution

2. DNA evidence of changes to the evolutionary tree that is currently accepted

3. Find one new human DNA or fossil or anthropological discovery and explain how it relates to Darwin’s theory of evolution

4. Choose a new method of artificial selection for crops or animals (pets or livestock usually) and explain its connection with Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Answer 1

The theory of evolution by natural selection is the process of changes in an organism over time as a result of changes in heritable, physical, or behavioral traits. Changes allow an organism to adapt to its environment in a better way to help it survive and have more offspring.  

In 1994, when paleontologists found the fossilized remains of Ambulocetus natans, or "swimming-walking whale". Its forelimbs had fingers and small hooves but its hind feet were large compared to forelimbs. It was adapted for swimming as well as capable of moving on land, like a seal. When it swam, the ancient whale-like creature moved by pushing back with its hind feet and undulating its spine and tail.

Modern whales propel themselves through the water with powerful beats of their horizontal tail flukes, but Ambulocetus still had a whip-like tail and had to use its legs to provide most of the propulsive force needed to move through the water. These changes in modern whales can be defined by evolution. As the environment changed around these ancient animals, they evolved in order to survive.

Homo heidelbergensis

Found in Germany, the specimen of  H. heidelbergensis, a mandible was nearly complete except for the missing premolars and first two left molars. German scientist Otto Schoentensack first to described the specimen and proposed the species name Homo heidelbergensis.

Before naming it, scientists had to refer to early human fossils showing traits similar to both Homo erectus and modern humans as ‘archaic’ Homo sapiens.According to the studies, this species may have survived back to 1.3 million years ago, and include early humans from Spain, England, and Italy.

Homo heidelbergensis, most likely, have two diversions; Comparison of Neanderthal and modern human DNA suggests that the two lineages diverged from this common ancestor comparison suggest the time somewhere between 350,000 and 400,000 years ago – with the European branch leading to H. neanderthalensis and the African branch (sometimes called Homo rhodesiensis) to H. sapiens.

A good method for artificial selection is the selective breeding of crops or animals, where the crops of desired phenotypes are allowed to grow or the animals with desired traits are allowed to breed, As the crops of desired traits are grown, again and again, the crops evolve with better traits gradually.

Farmers and breeders allow only the plants and animals with desirable characteristics to reproduce, causing the evolution of farm stock. This process is called artificial selection because people (instead of nature) select which organisms get to reproduce.

However other methods are also used at molecular level, where the crops are genetically modified and then allowed to reproduce. The evolution here can be negative as there can be gene flow resulting in superweeds or positive as the selected traits can be beneficial with time.