Evidence for Evolution
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Transcript Evidence for Evolution
Evidence for Evolution
Major Evidence for Evolution
Fossil record
Homologous structures
Vestigial structures
Biochemical evidence
Embryological development
Charles Darwin
1859 – “Origin of Species”
published
1.
2.
Argued from evidence that species
inhabiting Earth today descended
from ancestral species
Proposed a mechanism for evolution
Natural Selection
Many scientists helped pave the
way for Darwin’s Theory
Alfred Wallace same idea;
encouraged Darwin to publish his
work
1. Fossil Record
What does the Fossil Record tell
us about organisms?
Example: Horse
2. Homologous Structures
Homologous Structures
3. Vestigial Structures
Structures that serve no function
but useful structures in earlier
ancestors
Examples: Ear muscles
Human tailbone
Vestigial Organs
4. Embryological Development
Embryos of certain species
develop almost identically in
early ages, but differentiate late
in development
Molecular Evidence
DNA