Evolution
Atomic claims
Evolution is the change in heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations.
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Evolution is the central organizing theory of modern biology.
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Evolution explains the diversity of life through descent with modification from common ancestors.
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Natural selection is a main mechanism of evolution.
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Genetic drift is a main mechanism of evolution.
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Gene flow is a main mechanism of evolution.
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Evolution is defined in population-genetic terms as change in the heritable traits (or allele frequencies) of populations across generations.
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Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace jointly presented the theory of natural selection to the Linnean Society of London on 1 July 1858.
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Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in November 1859.
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Gregor Mendel published his experiments on particulate inheritance in 1866.
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Gregor Mendel's experiments on particulate inheritance were widely recognized only around 1900.
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The "modern synthesis" of the 1930s–40s integrated Mendelian genetics with natural selection.
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Motoo Kimura proposed in 1968 that most molecular-level evolutionary change is selectively neutral.
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A formal statistical test of protein sequence data strongly favored a single universal common ancestor over multiple-origin models.
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Microfossils reported from the ~3.46-billion-year-old Apex chert in Australia have been interpreted as early evidence of life.
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The biological origin of the microfossils from the Apex chert in Australia has been disputed.
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Tiktaalik roseae is a Late Devonian fossil described in 2006.
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Tiktaalik roseae shows features intermediate between lobe-finned fish and tetrapods.
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Human and chimpanzee genomes differ by about 1.23% in single-nucleotide substitutions.
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Evolution has been observed directly in a laboratory E. coli experiment begun in 1988.
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In a laboratory E. coli experiment begun in 1988, one population evolved the ability to use citrate aerobically.
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A multi-decade field study of Galápagos finches documented measurable natural selection on beak and body size in response to environmental change.
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The U.S. National Academy of Sciences states that evolution is supported by overwhelming evidence.
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The relative importance of selection versus neutral drift in molecular evolution remains debated.
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Eldredge and Gould argued that the fossil record shows long stasis punctuated by rapid change, rather than uniform gradualism.
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The generality of the punctuated equilibrium pattern in the fossil record is disputed.
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Some biologists argue that standard evolutionary theory needs an "extended synthesis" incorporating developmental bias, plasticity, and niche construction.
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Some biologists hold that the existing evolutionary framework already accommodates developmental bias, plasticity, and niche construction.
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Some religious groups reject evolution in favor of creationism or intelligent design.
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Some religious groups regard evolution as compatible with faith.
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Pope John Paul II described evolution as "more than a hypothesis."
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U.S. courts have ruled against banning evolution teaching in public school science classes.
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Public acceptance of evolution varies widely by country.
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A 2006 survey of 34 countries ranked the United States second lowest in public acceptance of evolution.
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The underlying mechanism of evolution involves genetic variation.
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Evolution is the foundational and unifying theory of the life sciences.
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Evolution explains the diversity of life on Earth.
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Evolution traces all known species to a universal common ancestor.
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Biological evolution is formally defined in population genetics as the change in allele frequencies within a population over time.
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Charles Darwin independently proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection.
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On the Origin of Species provided extensive evidence that diverse organisms share common descent.
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On the Origin of Species provided evidence that branching patterns of evolution are driven by natural selection.
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Genetic mutation is the primary source of new genetic variation.
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Genetic mutation generates novel alleles that can be passed to subsequent generations.
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Natural selection occurs when individuals possessing certain heritable traits survive and reproduce at higher rates than others because of those traits.
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Natural selection leads to adaptation.
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Genetic drift is an evolutionary mechanism involving random fluctuations in allele frequencies.
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Genetic drift disproportionately affects small populations.
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Genetic drift can lead to the fixation or loss of alleles by chance.
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The 'Modern Synthesis' was developed in the 1930s and 1940s.
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The 'Modern Synthesis' unified Darwin's theory of natural selection with Gregor Mendel's laws of inheritance and mathematical population genetics.
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Speciation is the evolutionary process by which populations evolve to become distinct species.
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Speciation often occurs when populations become reproductively isolated.
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The fossil record provides morphological evidence of evolution over geological time.
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The fossil record includes transitional fossils such as Archaeopteryx.
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Transitional fossils exhibit traits common to both an ancestral group and its derived descendant group.
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Molecular biology demonstrates that all known living organisms use nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) as their genetic material.
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All known living organisms share a nearly universal genetic code.
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Homologous structures share underlying anatomical similarities due to descent from a common ancestor.
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The forelimb bones of humans, whales, and bats are homologous structures.
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Homologous structures can serve different functions.
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Within evolutionary biology, there is debate regarding the typical pace of evolutionary change.
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The model of phyletic gradualism posits that evolution generally occurs uniformly.
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The theory of punctuated equilibrium proposes that most species exhibit little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history.
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The theory of punctuated equilibrium proposes that significant evolutionary change occurs in rare, rapid events of branching speciation.
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Some contemporary biologists advocate for an 'Extended Evolutionary Synthesis'.
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The 'Extended Evolutionary Synthesis' elevates the evolutionary role of non-genetic inheritance like epigenetics.
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Some biologists argue that the standard Modern Synthesis already accommodates non-genetic inheritance, niche construction, and phenotypic plasticity without requiring a paradigm shift.
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There is overwhelming scientific consensus supporting the validity of biological evolution.
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The validity of biological evolution is highly contested by various religious groups globally.
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The scientific community accepts that species evolve over billions of years via natural mechanisms without the requirement of a designer.
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Theological objections involve the claim that the scientific consensus on evolution conflicts with literal interpretations of religious texts regarding the origin of life and humanity.
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External references: Wikidata Q1063