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Asked by purplewolf9 to Andrew, Emma, Marianne on 16 Jun 2010 in Categories: General.
Question: Can you please explain to me what proof there is for evolution between one species and another, thanks
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Marianne Baker answered on 16 Jun 2010:
Purplewolf, what a question!
Evolution is really complicated. To understand it fully, a good knowledge of genetics, biochemistry, maths, zoology, ecology… lots of branches of science, is really needed.
The best I can do is recommend Richard Dawkins’ latest book, called “The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution” – in which he has tried to answer your question! As professor of public understanding of science, it should be accessible to everyone, not just scientists – so I’m sure you’d learn a lot that would help to answer that 🙂
The evidence for evolution comes from many places; DNA, fossils, animals and plants we see today, even behavioural psychology.
It’s a vast subject and not one I could ever hope to answer fully in this setting, plus I’m not focussed on evolution in my studies any more, sadly! Though it’s always been of great interest to me.
Oh, I can also recommend any programmes presented by Dr Armand Leroi – he’s an evolutionary biologist, and also check out his book “Mutants”, which explains how the weird diseases we’ve seen helped us to understand evolution and genetics!
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anon answered on 16 Jun 2010:
Purplewolf again. Nice! Good question. Don’t know if you spent a while making this question as tricksy as possible but I think you succeeded.
This is the common ancestor question. Did all life evolve from a single ancestor? With the lovely Darwin quote,
“There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one”
I think the fundamental evidence is supposed to be based on the basic building blocks of life being universal (DNA) but like everything else it’s not that easy.
To find out how difficult it is. Try to find out if viruses, prions and rickettsia are alive and if they are or not if they emerged from our common universal ancestor.
Let me know what you think.
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Andrew Maynard answered on 16 Jun 2010:
Hi purplewolf9,
The other scientists here can probably answer this better than me (I dropped biology after GCSE’s but don’t tell anyone!). But the simple answer (if there is such a thing) is that there are lots of pieces of information that lead to compelling evidence for evolution between species. In fact, not only is evolution the best idea we have for explaining the scientific evidence – each new piece of information that comes along only seems to strengthen it.
Just one piece of information out of many that I find persuasive is the structure of our second chromosome – have you heard about this? Humans have 23 chromosomes – the bundles of DNA in our cells that contain our genetic code. Each has a special sequence of DNA at the two ends – called ‘telomeres” – and another special sequence in the middle – “centomeres.” But human chromosome 2 is something of an oddity – in it’s center it has two telomeres – the DNA that should be at the end – and it also has two sets of centomeres – one about a quarter of the way along it, and another around three quarters of the way along. It’s almost as if two chromosomes had fused together to make one long one.
This might just be an interesting oddity – until you look at chimpanzee chromosomes. Chimps (and other apes) have 24 chromosomes – and they are all neatly behaved, with telomeres at the end and centomeres in the middle.
Comparing these chimpanzee chromosomes to human chromosomes, scientists are pretty convinced that at some point, as humans evolved from apes, two of the ape chromosomes fused together.
It’s pretty compelling evidence that humans evolved from apes – in fact, it’s very hard to find any other reasonable explanations for chromosome 2!
ps – this all sounds a little complicated, but Wikipedia has a simple diagram of the chromosomes which might help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromosome_2_%28human%29
Comments
Dean commented on :
I would also recommend greatest show on earth – I read it and it’s very good at explaining everything properly and countering the arguments often given against evolution.
andrewleitch commented on :
Thanks Dean but Marianne and AndrewM make the recommendations in the Silicon Zone- (Psyche). Tee-hee!
andrewleitch commented on :
I see the Magnesium zone’s not getting as much chat. I’d like to formally welcome you and apologise for earlier childish behaviour.
Andrew commented on :
Ps – I pressed send too fast on my answer – I should have said that the second chromsome is evidence that humans and apes have a common ancestor. Typing too fast to think here!