What is the smallest unit that can undergo evolution?

Answer 1

evolution doesn't exist...

Answer 2

a POPULATION is the smallest unit that can undergo evolution. Evolution is the change in genetic composition of a population over time. Even though the offspring of an individual may have different genes from that individual, this is not evolution, as the genetic variation has not necessarily changed the frequency of certain alleles in the gene pool.

and saying that evolution does not exist is not helpful

Answer 3

Well at the very least we know that viruses can evolve, even though they are basically nothing but a piece of DNA in a protein sack. The history of HIV, and the way new strains have appeared in response to the selective pressures of antiviral medications, is a well-studied example of viruses evolving (i.e mutating in response to environment). The avian flu virus is another well-studied case.

And to Darell R, who wrote "single cells can mutate, not evolve" ... mutation *is* evolution if it is accompanied by some selective pressure in the environment. If something mutates, and that mutation makes it a better survivor, that is *by definition* "evolution by natural selection." For example, we know that single-celled organisms called 'bacteria' (you may have heard of them) mutate and that antibiotics provides selective pressures that cause some of these mutations to survive better than others. The result: new strains of bacteria that are partially or completely resistant to certain types of antibiotics. That is precisely evolution in action!

In fact, evolution of single-celled organisms is easier to see in action than evolution of larger organisms ... for the simple reason that single-celled organisms can have *many* generations in a short period of time.

'Hmm' and 'Darrell R' need to get with the program of other Creationists. They no longer say that "There's no such thing as evolution." Such things as evolution of bacteria made Creationists concede that subspecies evolution *does* exist ... hence the invention (by your fellow Creationists) of the term 'microevolution', which Creationists *do* concede. (See source below: "Because microevolution can be observed directly, creationists agree that it occurs.")

---- Aftethought (edit) ---
Anacapa, below, makes an *excellent* point! When we say that bacteria or viruses evolve, this does *not* mean that an individual bacterium or an individual virus can evolve. Just generating a new individual with a mutated gene is not evolution. It is when this mutated gene propagates and then flourishes within the *population* of bacteria or viruses (because that gene bestows survival advantages) that we have evolution.

Answer 4

If you are asking the smallest unit that can experience or be a part of evolution, then probably a sperm.

If yoy are thinking of the smallest to study then possibly a single celled animal, like an amoeba.

The prions are not complete living things, as I understand it.

Answer 5

For most evolution, the smallest unit is a population of organisms.

You can have molecular evolution (competing mitochondria, jumping genes, etc.), but that's a different ball game than what most people think about evolution.

Answer 6

Viruses

Answer 7

just thinking it's so funny when people say there is no such thing as evolution.......oh my..
why would anything mutate at all? hmmm? could it have something to do with adapting? why would they need to adapt? to be successful? to survive perhaps?
Think fundies, think.

Answer 8

Single cells can mutate, not evolve. There's no such thing as evolution.

Answer 9

antibody, a priotein, is a classical example of molecular evolution

Answer 10

viruses