Evolution and Natural Selection Paper

Evolution Explained

Evolution is the alteration of genetic characteristics of organism over subsequent generations. It explains the origin of modern life and in the process, demonstrates some patterns of life.

Life in Water

Evolution demonstrates that life occurs in water. Water has a regulatory effect on the structure and configuration of our atmosphere, on climatic properties and is vital for plant and animal life (Russell). Billions of years ago, after water was formed from violent collisions between comets and asteroids, single-celled organisms merged and became multicellular organisms. The multicellular microorganisms diversified into a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrates. Aquatic animals evolved from primitive ancestral organisms and developed survival adaptations such as gills to enable them to survive in water.

Opportunistic Nature of Life

Evolution validates that life is opportunistic. The natural selection mechanism of evolution demonstrates that life and existence is merely a result of the disparity in reproduction and development of living things. The factors that determine what organism will live are the uncontrollable natural environment, the preexistent genetic make-up and the random and opportunistic mutations. Cacti demonstrate the opportunistic nature of natural selection by transformation of leaves into spines and using stems for photosynthesis to survive in deserts.

Life with Mistakes

Evolution demonstrates that life creates with mistakes. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution suggests that the driving force of life arises from how creatures survive with faults at the cellular level (Zimmer and Douglas). Mistakes occur in cells due to altered proteins with different characteristics or roles that were initially absent, sometimes even without genetic errors. Some of the errors become permanently incorporated into the genetic make-up. They may become beneficial in the adaptation and survival of the organism in the dynamic environment.

Works Cited

Russell, Sara S. “The origin, history, and role of water in the evolution of the inner Solar System.” (2017). The Royal Society.

Zimmer, Carl and Douglas J Douglas. Volution: Making sense of life. London: Macmillan Higher Education, 2017. Book.