What Darwin Never Knew Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Charles Darwin was born _______ years ago.

200

What did Charles Darwin want to understand?

Evolution

What is called the best idea that anyone ever had?

Theory of Evolution

Name the molecule in the beginning of the program.

DNA Signup and view all the answers

What was Darwin's job on the ship The Beagle?

To survey the waters around South America. Signup and view all the answers

List four organisms Darwin observed on the Galapagos Islands.

Penguins, Giant tortoise, Iguanas, Birds Signup and view all the answers

What could the islanders tell about the tortoise in the Galapagos?

You could tell where the tortoise came from by looking at its shell. Signup and view all the answers

Back in Britain, what did Darwin learn about the birds he collected? How many different species were there?

Each were a tiny bit different on each island. There were many kinds. Signup and view all the answers

What did Darwin discover while studying developing embryos (snakes, whales, human)?

They resembled each other (tiny bumps for legs). Signup and view all the answers

Darwin thought humans were descended from what animal?

Fish Signup and view all the answers

What helped Darwin come up with the idea for natural selection?

Dogs Signup and view all the answers

Explain what it means to say survival of the fittest?

The animals that adapted are the ones who survive. Signup and view all the answers

How did Darwin explain how one species of finch had turned into many? What led to the different shaped beaks?

The food that they ate in their environment called for the type of beak it had. Signup and view all the answers

Because species have v_____________________________, nature selects which individuals survive and don't.

Variation Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of Darwin's book?

The Origin of Species Signup and view all the answers

Describe the two kinds of mice in the desert.

Pocket mouse and ________________. Signup and view all the answers

What can we study today that Darwin couldn't?

We can look inside their DNA. Signup and view all the answers

What is a gene? What do genes turn into?

Genes are inside DNA; genes → proteins → cartilage. Signup and view all the answers

Name one way that DNA can change.

Mutation Signup and view all the answers

Are mutations always bad? Explain.

No, if a pocket mouse turns black it would be a good thing if it is living on dark rocks; but if it is living in the desert, it would not be good. Signup and view all the answers

What did the researchers find that explained the different color mice fur?

Mutations in genes. Signup and view all the answers

How many genes are in the human genome?

23,000 Signup and view all the answers

Research on the fruit fly showed there are 'Switches' in DNA. What are switches?

Switches are not genes. They turn on/off the genes that do. Signup and view all the answers

How did the lake stickleback fish lose its spikes?

Genetic switches. Signup and view all the answers

Finch beaks are all made by the same gene, so why are there different shaped beaks?

How much you switch a gene on, when you do, and where (genetic switches). Signup and view all the answers

Define transitional fossil.

Fossils that are fish but they have limbs. Signup and view all the answers

Why is the tiktalik fossil so important?

It had bone for limbs. Signup and view all the answers

What do HOX genes do?

They give orders to genes to determine how the body is formed. Signup and view all the answers

Humans and chimps share a common a________________________.

Ancestors Signup and view all the answers

The DNA of humans and chimps is _________________ % identical.

99% Signup and view all the answers

Why is the human hand so unique?

Thumbs Signup and view all the answers

Stedman believes that a mutation in the human jaw muscle allowed for what unique feature of the human brain?

To make more space for the brain and to make us grow. Signup and view all the answers

When comparing the gene that controls brain development between humans and chimps, what did researchers discover?

Defects radically different. Signup and view all the answers

In Pollard's research, she found that most of the DNA differences between human and chimp DNA were in which type of genes?

Switches Signup and view all the answers

The gene for the development of the brain cortex is different by _______ letters between chimps and humans.

18 Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Charles Darwin and Evolution

Charles Darwin was born approximately 200 years ago.
His primary pursuit was the understanding of evolution, leading to the formulation of the Theory of Evolution, regarded as one of the greatest ideas in science.

Key Discoveries on the Beagle

Darwin served as a surveyor on the HMS Beagle, focusing on the waters around South America.
Observations in the Galapagos Islands included various organisms such as penguins, giant tortoises, iguanas, and different types of birds.
Islanders could identify the origin of tortoises by examining their shells.

Insights from Birds and Embryos

Darwin noted that birds collected from different islands displayed slight variations, leading to the awareness of numerous species.
He discovered similarities in developing embryos across species such as snakes, whales, and humans, reflecting shared ancestry.

Human Ancestry and Natural Selection

Darwin hypothesized that humans descended from fish.
His observations of domestic dogs contributed to his concept of natural selection, encapsulated in the phrase "survival of the fittest"—indicating that only well-adapted animals survive.

Species Variation and Adaptation

Variations within species allowed nature to determine survival.
Different beak shapes of finches evolved in response to available food sources in their environment.

Genetics and Mutations

Genetic variation stems from mutations, which can be beneficial or detrimental, depending on environmental context.
An example is a pocket mouse adapting color based on habitat, illustrating the role of advantageous mutations.

The Human Genome and Genetic Mechanisms

The human genome contains approximately 23,000 genes.
Research on fruit flies revealed that genetic "switches" control gene activation.
The lake stickleback fish lost spikes due to modifications in these genetic switches.

Transitional Fossils and Key Discoveries

Transitional fossils, such as Tiktaalik, exhibit characteristics of both fish and terrestrial animals, showcasing evolutionary links.
HOX genes play a crucial role in body formation, directing the expression of other genes.

Evolutionary Relatedness to Other Species

Humans and chimps share a common ancestry, with DNA being 99% identical.
The uniqueness of the human hand, particularly the opposable thumb, is key to our manipulation capabilities.
A mutation in the jaw muscle was critical for accommodating larger brain development in humans.

Genetic Differences and Brain Development

Significant gene differences controlling brain development exist between humans and chimps.
Most DNA variations between the two species are found in genetic switches, with a specific 18-letter difference in genes responsible for developing the brain cortex.

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Description

Explore the key concepts from the PBS NOVA special 'What Darwin Never Knew' with this quiz. Test your knowledge on Charles Darwin's contributions to the theory of evolution and the molecular biology mentioned in the program. Perfect for students of biology and evolution enthusiasts.