What is Evolution ?

[Anonymous No.1724745]

So there are some people out there who still think that evolution is just a theory (a geuss). I am not one of them. Nonetheless, I've just come to the realization that I don't really understand how evolution works. I know that humans came from some homo primates that came from other primitive apes who probably came from hamsters which came from fish or whatever. Yet I don't understand the process required to elevate a being to the next excited state.

For instance, it's commonly believe that humans came out of the African continent. Most likely, they were all a similar color and composition. After they settled around the world, things changed. Humans in the northern colder, darker region became fair-skinned and hairy. Is that an example of evolution? I'm pretty sure it is not, for I've never heard it explained as such. But why not? What differentiates adaptation from evolution? What has to happen before you can scientifically claim that a being has evolved?

[Anonymous No.1724769]

...adaptation is evolution you dumb ass.

[Anonymous No.1724784]

>So there are some people out there who still think that evolution is just a theory (a geuss). I am not one of them.

A theory isn't a guess, dumbass. And you didn't even explain why you think evolution isn't a theory.

[Anonymous No.1724791]

>>1724769
Although, I don't want to undermine what you are saying, it is possible to adapt without evolving. Take Trypanosoma brucei, when then are exposed to different antibodies they adapt by altering the genes to express a different antigen coat. So fucking cool.

[Anonymous No.1724792]

Evolution is randomness and sex, nothing more. The mutations that are able to survive long enough to reproduce carry on.

[Anonymous No.1724806]

>>1724745

That is a good example of evolution, actually. Evolution is adaptation through the mechanism of survival of the fittest, where fittest is defined as whatever attributes make you more likely to survive and breed in your environment. When you get creatures adapting to many different and changing environment and different strategies within those environments, you get many different species, and each single species will change gradually over time as they become even more adapted to their environment, are forced to move, or the environment changes.

[Anonymous No.1724813]

>>1724791

Yeah, but evolution is adaptation by the species by evolutionary pressures altering the composition of the genepool. It's adaptation over genereations, rather than within a single individual. A single individual does not evolve.

[Anonymous No.1724822]

>>1724791
That is evolution, they have adapted and survived to face a new enviromental threat, as a result of a biotic interaction they have progressed at a genetic level and expressed genetic changes to survive.

That's how I see evolution at least.

Also I think I will check out that bacteria that sounds really cool, I wonder if that could be applied to a human made virus/bacteria to fight cancer cells and as an immunobooster for humans.

[Anonymous No.1724844]

>>1724784

[Anonymous No.1724866]

Evolution is simply the capability of some beings (animals, bacteria...) to survive when the environment changes... it does not mean: "gain wings" or "learn to breed"!

[Anonymous No.1724871]

>>1724866

Survive and adapt. Also, you have to specify that it's a genotypic/phenotypic change over generations, otherwise you give rise to the type of misunderstanding the OP has arrived at.

[Anonymous No.1724872]

>>1724866

Pretty much this. Most people have a Pokemon/Spore view on evolution...

[Anonymous No.1724892]

1. ANYONE who says "evolution is just a theory (a geuss)" is just trolling. It appears EVERYDAY, every frakkin day.

2. It is thought that hairy humanoid ancestors were fair skinned beneath the hair. After the hair was lost, those people evolved to produce melanin in the skin to protect themselves from the sun. When people migrated to colder regions the fair skinned genes returned to the fore.

[Anonymous No.1724928]

I thought this was going to be about creation and evolution being used to explain something it can't? Instead your talking about adaptation like a revelation it is the same thing as evolution and still doesn't explain initial creation so the theory has already based it's assumption on one assumption already?

[Anonymous No.1724951]

>>1724745

lrn2Vitamin D absorption for one,

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/07/3/text_pop/l_073_04.html

[Anonymous No.1724983]

>>1724928

Actually, OP never brought up the question of the origins of life, he only asked what evolution was and how it differed from adaption. The question of the origins of life refers to abiogenesis, which is another theory altogether, and has nothing to do with evolution. Check out the wikipedia article on the Miller-Urey Experiment.