What are three pieces of evidence that support the theory of evolution?

Answer 1

The different types of evidence used by scientists to support the Theory of Evolution include:

• Fossil evidence

  As scientists explore down the geological column, they see changes that are remarkably consistent with the Theory of Evolution. One example is the transition of sarcopterygian lungfish into Devonian amphibians. Another is Archeopteryx, an excellent transitional fossil to the avian dinosaurs.

• Genetic evidence

  With advances in our knowledge of DNA, scientists can reliably date when two related species, such as when chimpanzees and hominids, first split from a common ancestor.

• Distribution

  In the absence of evolution, it could be expected that species would be randomly distributed around the world, wherever environmental conditions suited a species. Instead, species that are closely related by evolution are found in close proximity, but not in more distant areas that would also be environmentally suitable. One example is that virtually all mammals native to Australia are marsupials. The placentals (besides bats, rats, mice, and dingos) did not make it across the Pacific barrier.

• Predictability

  A good scientific theory should be capable of predicting facts not already known. The Theory of Evolution was used to predict that a transition species between fish and early amphibians should be found in an appropriate location, such as certain areas of the Canadian Arctic. The outcome was the discovery of ancient Tiktaalik roseae fossils.

Fossils of transitional species are common, rife in the geologic record. Many of the Devonian amphibians are excellent examples of this.

Another example is the evolution of drug resistance in bacteria. A particular drug may prove 100% fatal to colonies of a particular type of bacteria, but over generations a mutation will crop up creating a resistance that continued exposure to ever increasing dosages becomes fixed within the population. This evolution has been observed and carefully documented.

There are literally thousands of other examples. Every year biologists publish hundreds of peer reviewed papers detailing one or another example of evolution.

Answer 2

1st piece of evidence-Vestigial structures. Vestigial structures are bones or other organs in an organism but are reduced in size and either have no use or have a less important function than they do in other related organisms. For example the hind limbs of whales, or the appendix of humans. Even humans tail bones are vestigial structures. They are thought to have helped previous organisms but are now less useful in their evolutionary counterpart.

2nd piece of evidence-Homologous structures. Homologous structures are structures that share a common ancestry. Otherwise a similar structure in two organisms can be found in the common ancestor of the organisms. As different organisms evolve so do their bodies. Similarities exist in the bone structure though can still be seen. Such as, the forelimbs of penguins, alligators, bats, and humans are all very similar in structure. Suggesting they all have a similar ancestor.

3rd piece of evidence-Amino Acidsequence. The amino acid sequence which codes for an organism's protein. The prediction was first tested by analyzing the amino acid sequences of similar proteins found in several species. If evolution has taken place, then, in general, species descended from a recent common ancestor should have fewer amino acid differences between their proteins that do species that share a common ancestor in the more distant past. Example- the amino acid difference between humans and gorillas is just one, and the difference between humans and a Rhesus monkey is only 8. Although the difference between a human and a frog is 87.

Although there are several pieces of evidence leading to evolution, I do not believe in it. I believe God making Adam and Eve which led to more children, who then led to even more children, which has then started the human race. That is just my perspective though, although evidence suggests otherwise. That is just three pieces of evidence that leads to evolution, there are quite a few more pieces of evidences towards evolution.

Answer 3

There are countless examples that evolution is present and active on Earth-

1. Darwin's finches evolved varying beaks that suited different forms of food that was consumed. The beaks are continuing to evolve to this day.

2. A population of tropical butterflies (Blue Moon butterflies) have evolved a resistance to a deadly bacteria. The Bacteria infects the female and then attacks the male eggs and kills them before they hatch. In under a year (10 generations for butterflies) the butterflies have the bacteria under control with a "suppressor gene" that was discovered in the butterfly.

3. An Australian breed of lizard have gradually (over 3 million years) evolved to lose their limbs and become more snakelike.

Not all evolution is as fast as the Blue Moon butterfly, however- there is proof that evolution is ongoing and inevitable part of life.

Answer 4

Actually, there's just one line: nested hierarchies.
No, wait - there's two lines: morphological and genetic.
No, hold on - those aren't the two lines; the two lines are extant and extinct.
No, just a second...

As you may have guessed by now, the number four is entirely arbitrary. You can distribute the many independent lines of evidence for evolution over as many or as few distinct boxes as you want.

Answer 5

adaptation, extinction, and the creating of new species

Answer 6

vestgial structures

fossils

embryology

also a big one is that there is a universal genetic code

Answer 7

Biological molecules, DNA and fossils - good luck with your exam tomorrow!

Answer 8

Well its big bang (which I believe is crap) Darwins natural selection therory (makes sense) and (Anarobic/arobic beggining) (more crap)

Answer 9

Fossils, genes and embryological development.