Semester 2 : Blog # 3

Microevolution is a change in gene frequency within a population. Though it does not create new species. This variation is due to 3 different processes which are mutations, natural selection, and genetic drift. Mutations are random changes in the composition or number of DNA molecules in a cell. Mutations occur due to inherent reasons, such as replication errors in DNA. Mutations are completely random and do not occur because they help an organism's ability to adapt to to its environment. Cases where mutations do help are rare, and such mutations are known as adaptations. Genetic drift occurs when a group of organisms within a population, happens to have a higher frequency of an allele than the surrounding organisms. Slowly the group starts to drift away from the gene pool of the main population by selectively mating within this group. In many ways, genetic drift is pretty much the same as nonrandom mating. Natural Selection determines the chances of survival for an organism and its reproductive capability. This process works with mutations to determine which organisms survive and pass their traits to their offspring. 

Semester 2 : Blog # 2

The reason why the fossil record is hard to interpret is because since there are some small species that once lived on Earth and has been preserved and it would be difficult to observe and interpret on what it is. It might be either a part of a full fossil or sometimes it would be hard when the fossil is damaged and you couldn't find out what kind of species lay in those rocks. Also you have to dust it off in order to see the species clearly, so there might be dust that is hard to remove. Also it's hard to interpret the fossil when the species doesn't even have a skeleton. So basically if the fossil is either damage or the species have no skeleton, then it would be very difficult to interpret it. 

Semester 2 : Blog # 1

Theory is just another word for guest or a hunch, and thats what evolution is, just a hunch.The reason why evolution is a theory instead of a law is because evolution might not be proven true without the right evidence. Both theories and laws can turn out to be wrong, and must be tested by considering what evidence you should find if the theory or law were false. So since law means it has to be true then evolution is a theory because of the lack of evidence to prove it to be true. The world has many unknown things that we humans don't know, but its yet to be discovered.