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The Importance of Understanding Evolution The majority of evidence supporting evolution is derived from observations of the natural world of organisms. Scientists also conduct laboratory experiments to test theories about evolution. Favourable changes, such as those that help an individual in the fight to survive, increase their frequency over time. This is referred to as natural selection. Natural Selection The theory of natural selection is central to evolutionary biology, but it is also a key topic in science education. Numerous studies show that the concept of natural selection and its implications are not well understood by many people, not just those who have a postsecondary biology education. Yet an understanding of the theory is essential for both academic and practical situations, such as medical research and management of natural resources. Natural selection is understood as a process that favors desirable characteristics and makes them more prominent within a population. This improves their fitness value. The fitness value is a function of the relative contribution of the gene pool to offspring in every generation. The theory is not without its opponents, but most of whom argue that it is untrue to assume that beneficial mutations will never become more prevalent in the gene pool. They also argue that random genetic shifts, environmental pressures and other factors can make it difficult for beneficial mutations within an individual population to gain foothold. These critiques are usually founded on the notion that natural selection is a circular argument. A trait that is beneficial must to exist before it is beneficial to the population and can only be able to be maintained in populations if it is beneficial. The critics of this view insist that the theory of natural selection isn't an actual scientific argument at all it is merely an assertion of the outcomes of evolution. A more thorough critique of the natural selection theory is based on its ability to explain the development of adaptive features. These characteristics, also known as adaptive alleles, can be defined as those that enhance an organism's reproductive success when there are competing alleles. The theory of adaptive genes is based on three components that are believed to be responsible for the emergence of these alleles through natural selection: The first component is a process known as genetic drift, which occurs when a population undergoes random changes in its genes. This can cause a population or shrink, depending on the degree of genetic variation. The second component is called competitive exclusion. This refers to the tendency for some alleles to be eliminated due to competition with other alleles, such as for food or mates. Genetic Modification Genetic modification involves a variety of biotechnological processes that alter an organism's DNA. This can have a variety of benefits, such as greater resistance to pests, or a higher nutrition in plants. www.evolutionkr.kr is also utilized to develop gene therapies and pharmaceuticals which correct genetic causes of disease. Genetic Modification can be utilized to address a variety of the most pressing issues in the world, including the effects of climate change and hunger. Scientists have traditionally employed models such as mice or flies to determine the function of specific genes. However, this method is restricted by the fact it is not possible to modify the genomes of these organisms to mimic natural evolution. Using gene editing tools like CRISPR-Cas9 for example, scientists are now able to directly alter the DNA of an organism to achieve the desired result. This is known as directed evolution. In essence, scientists determine the target gene they wish to alter and then use the tool of gene editing to make the necessary change. Then, they incorporate the modified genes into the body and hope that it will be passed on to future generations. One issue with this is that a new gene inserted into an organism may cause unwanted evolutionary changes that go against the intention of the modification. Transgenes inserted into DNA an organism can affect its fitness and could eventually be removed by natural selection. A second challenge is to ensure that the genetic modification desired is able to be absorbed into the entire organism. This is a significant hurdle since each type of cell in an organism is distinct. The cells that make up an organ are very different from those that create reproductive tissues. To effect a major change, it is important to target all of the cells that need to be changed. These challenges have led some to question the ethics of DNA technology. Some people think that tampering DNA is morally unjust and like playing God. Some people worry that Genetic Modification could have unintended negative consequences that could negatively impact the environment or human well-being. Adaptation Adaptation occurs when an organism's genetic characteristics are altered to better fit its environment. These changes are usually a result of natural selection that has occurred over many generations, but can also occur through random mutations that make certain genes more prevalent in a population. Adaptations are beneficial for individuals or species and can help it survive within its environment. Examples of adaptations include finch-shaped beaks in the Galapagos Islands and polar bears with their thick fur. In some cases two species could evolve to be dependent on one another to survive. Orchids, for instance evolved to imitate the appearance and smell of bees to attract pollinators. Competition is an important element in the development of free will. The ecological response to an environmental change is significantly less when competing species are present. This is because of the fact that interspecific competition has asymmetric effects on populations ' sizes and fitness gradients, which in turn influences the rate of evolutionary responses following an environmental change. The shape of the competition function and resource landscapes are also a significant factor in the dynamics of adaptive adaptation. A bimodal or flat fitness landscape, for example increases the probability of character shift. A lack of resources can also increase the probability of interspecific competition, by decreasing the equilibrium population sizes for different phenotypes. In simulations using different values for k, m v and n, I observed that the highest adaptive rates of the species that is disfavored in a two-species alliance are significantly slower than those of a single species. This is due to both the direct and indirect competition that is imposed by the favored species on the species that is disfavored decreases the size of the population of disfavored species, causing it to lag the moving maximum. 3F). When the u-value is close to zero, the impact of competing species on adaptation rates gets stronger. At this point, the favored species will be able reach its fitness peak faster than the disfavored species even with a high u-value. The species that is preferred will therefore benefit from the environment more rapidly than the disfavored species and the gap in evolutionary evolution will increase. Evolutionary Theory Evolution is among the most widely-accepted scientific theories. It is also a major component of the way biologists study living things. It is based on the idea that all species of life evolved from a common ancestor by natural selection. This is a process that occurs when a trait or gene that allows an organism to live longer and reproduce in its environment is more prevalent in the population in time, as per BioMed Central. The more often a gene is passed down, the higher its prevalence and the probability of it creating a new species will increase. The theory also describes how certain traits become more common by means of a phenomenon called “survival of the most fittest.” In essence, organisms that possess genetic traits that give them an advantage over their competition are more likely to live and have offspring. The offspring will inherit the advantageous genes and over time, the population will change. In the period following Darwin's death a group of evolutionary biologists led by theodosius Dobzhansky Julian Huxley (the grandson of Darwin's bulldog, Thomas Huxley), Ernst Mayr and George Gaylord Simpson further extended his ideas. The biologists of this group were called the Modern Synthesis and, in the 1940s and 1950s they developed the model of evolution that is taught to millions of students every year. This evolutionary model, however, does not solve many of the most urgent evolution questions. For example it is unable to explain why some species seem to remain the same while others undergo rapid changes in a short period of time. It also doesn't address the problem of entropy, which says that all open systems tend to disintegrate in time. A growing number of scientists are challenging the Modern Synthesis, claiming that it isn't able to fully explain evolution. This is why a number of alternative evolutionary theories are being considered. This includes the idea that evolution, rather than being a random and deterministic process is driven by “the necessity to adapt” to the ever-changing environment. These include the possibility that the mechanisms that allow for hereditary inheritance do not rely on DNA.