C'mon how does it happen? I know that it happens so that animals can adapt to their surroundings or to predators or prey. But don't tell me that when two chimpanzees or a closer relative to humans just mate a out comes a human.
2007-09-20 17:58:10 · 11 answers · asked by rvinscx 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Genetic mutation is the driving force of evolution. It is an EXTREMELY slow process as its taken 3.8 billion years to get this far.
You misunderstand evolution. Two species do not mate to produce a new species. New speciation is a slow gradual branching caused by various mutations spanning many MANY generations. Genetic mutation is a natural occurrence.
Humans did not evolve from monkeys just as house cats didn't evolve from tigers or dogs evolving from wolves. They branched off from a common ancestor and through millions of years of repeated mutation and environmental pressures developed into separate, though still related species.
*** I didn't mention natural selection because the asker seemed to understand that part of it when he/she mentioned adaptation. Besides, there would be no natural selection if there were no mutations/traits to select for. Mutation is the driving force, natural selection is the result of mutation.
2007-09-20 18:03:12 · answer #1 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mutation and death.
Or in common parlance - variation and selection.
Imagine a mutation which makes one small mammal furrier than most of its kind. If the weather is the same it may sweat more and lose energy - it wastes energy in carrying its larger fur coat and it may have less chance of living if normal. Now imagine if that totally random mutation comes when the weather is changing, perhaps the planet cools, now it has a survival advantage, the ones with the thinnest coats freeze or are unable to forage and starve to death - our mutant comes in to its own. This is selection.
Nobody says two chimpanzees could produce a human, it sounds like a very silly cartoon to make fun of evolution - as if evolution makes that claim. We did not evolve from chimpanzees or any other animal - we have common ancestors though - with chimps and bonobos that ancestor lived as recently as 6 million years ago. You also have a common ancestor with all primates, maybe 40 million years ago and with all mammals maybe 200 million years ago. Then all vertebrates, and so on. You can't point to any species alive today and say they're our ancestor because they've been evolving too.
2007-09-20 22:27:20 · answer #2 · answered by Leviathan 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
evolution either happens by a diaster such as a comet hitting the earth and the dinosaurs dying(its an example) therefore mammals can thrive because they are less predators and competition. When there are too many mammals they compete, and those with longer nails, teeth, escape, camoflauge, sense of smell for example, survive better than those without better claws. Eventually those long claws or long nose change into a different species entirely.
Another is if there is a seperation in the population. This is why some bears look the same, but they're colored differently in order to live in a more efficient way. Humans might have gotten seperated. There is evidence that humans came from Africa and traveled down the current day Indian Ocean to Australia because they were following herds of buffalo or something for food. Therefore people got seperated and things changed. The new generations could not keep the old information so they had to develop their own language and culture. And that's how humans evolved into different ethnicity and religion.
2007-09-20 18:06:47 · answer #3 · answered by laze-butt 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
bravozulu is correct. There are two processes involved - random mutation and natural selection. The Darwinian theory should be the Theory of Natural Selection to explain the fact of evolution. That evolution is a fact is beyond doubt, it has been observed in the wild and also in the laboratory.
If you are really interested in finding out more about evolution, the most important of the biological sciences, the FAQ at the Talk Origins Archive would be a good place to start
http://www.talkorigins.org
2007-09-20 20:16:42 · answer #4 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I hate to contradict some of our usually very accurate responders but evolution is not driven by mutations. In order to understand evolution, you need to understand selection. That is the main driving force for evolution. Mutations only give variety and allow for greater variety to choose from. Natural selection determines the direction that evolution will go or not go if the animal is already ideal.
It is a pretty simple concept at its most basic. Animals that are more fit will have more offspring and will increase in number relative to animals that are not as fit.
Chimps aren't our ancestors, they share a common ancestor. There are about 300,000 generations that separate us from the common ancestors.
2007-09-20 18:31:25 · answer #5 · answered by bravozulu 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You have no idea of what you are talking about. Evolution works slowly over a long time. Subtle changes provide organisms with better traits to survive and pass on their genes. An easy way to see an evolution of sorts is the artificial selection when breeding miniature dogs or horses. Over time species change and eventually change to the point they can no longer interbreed, thus creating a new species--->Evolution
2007-09-21 09:14:28 · answer #6 · answered by Lee S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
basically mutation is the driving force. An organism undergoes a spontaneous change or mutation and if this enhances its fitness or provides a selective advantage over others, then this is selected for. So over time ie millions of years or many generations, mutations build up and new species emerge
2007-09-20 18:09:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Evolution is a process. It started some millions years ago soon Oxygen started to be stabilised on the earth's surface and reacted with hydrogen to make water. Amino acid also became an important factor to create life on the earth. Actually water is the source for creation of life and thereafter for evolution.
2007-09-20 18:15:43 · answer #8 · answered by DILIP 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
if the world were to freeze, people would have to quit shaving their hair to mantain body heat, eventually in the next million years or so, people would be born really hairy. its all about adaptation to the enviornment. its hard to explain. just ask korn.
2007-09-20 18:08:49 · answer #9 · answered by im_so_frustrated 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
cells basics cells and they split and split and its a BOY then over the genarations its has newer cells deveolpe and then the older cells join together with the newer ones still keeping some of the origenal codes and then surprise its a GIRL in a millons of years simple as that
2007-09-20 18:06:18 · answer #10 · answered by lee h 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋