Biological Anthropology Charles Darwin & Human Evolution Essay
I’m stuck on a Biology question and need an explanation.
140 – BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY – WRITING ASSIGNMENT #3: WHAT CHARLES DARWIN KNEW OR INFERRED AND WHAT HE NEVER KNEW ABOUT EVOLUTION
The third writing assignment, do all assigned reading, and view or review the Doc Talk’s, PowerPoints, and videos for weeks five thru seven. Then write and submit a 2-4 page (2-page minimum, 4-page maximum) paper in the text box by 11:59 pm on 10/11/20).Your paper should summarize what you have learned regarding what Charles Darwin knew or inferred and what he never knew (because much has been discovered since Darwin’s time) about evolution. Papers should include TWO parts.
Part I – What Darwin Knew or Inferred about Evolution.Provide a brief summary of the different lines of evidence used by Darwin to supportthe theories presented in “On the Origin of Species…”; in other words, summarize what Darwin knew and/ or inferred from his research, travel experiences, and communications with other scientists. This is covered pretty well in the first 30 minutes of the video “What Darwin Never Knew” as well as in the Doc Talk Zoom lectures Charles Darwin: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. See also theExplorations:… text Ch. 2.
Part II -What Darwin Never Knew about Evolution. Summarize some of the exciting new insights into evolutionary processes (how evolution actually works) made possible by the revolutionary new fields of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo) and comparative genomics. Some of these new possibilities are outlined in the video “What Darwin Never Knew” starting around the 30:00 mark,in “Your Inner Fish”, as well as in “A 140/141L Doc Talk #3 – Explaining the Great Transformations” . Implications for some of the new perspectives on human evolution made possible by these new discoveries are also included in the last part of the “What Darwin Never Knew” video. Pay particular attention to discussions relating to the genes coordinating the growth and development of the human hand, human jaw muscles, the human braincase, and the dramatic enlargement of the human brain.
Key concepts to pay specific attention to. (*hint – questions that may show up on a quiz. I highly recommend taking notes while reading and viewing the videos)
What do geologists mean when they refer to the concept/ theory of deep time?
Why is the principle of uniformitarianism so critical to Darwin’s ideas regarding the age of the earth?
What is Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection?
What is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)? Why is DNA so important in evolutionary studies?
What is ribonucleic acid (RNA)? What are some of the roles of RNA molecules in the processes of life?
Be able to explain/ describe DNA’s basic structure.
Be able to explain/ describe the process of DNA replication.
Be able to explain the role of DNA in the process of protein synthesis. This process results in the assembly of a precise sequence of amino acids (a polypeptide or protein) with specific structure and biological functions
Be able to explain how DNA functions to regulate the biochemical processes of life and all aspects of an organism’s development from conception (zygote formation), through embryonic, juvenile, adolescents, adult stages and beyond.
What does Sean Carrol mean when he refers to a “genetic tool kit” of organismal development
What are Hox genes? What are the roles of Hox genes in insect and vertebrate embryonic development?
*Always write in your own words and try to single space within each paragraph and double space in between paragraphs.Due by 11:59 pm, Sunday, 10/11/20.
