Science Answer the following questions: [2 M]

• Very young embryos of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals show quite similar structure in the early stages.
• As the further growth takes place, they acquire different patterns.
• The initial similarity between the vertebrate embryos is an evidence that during evolution, there was a common ancestor for all the vertebrate classes.
• This is called embryological evidence for vertebrate evolution.

1. There are other factors too for evolution and just not the Natural Selection.
2. Arrival of useful and useless modifications were not explained by Darwin, though he said about the survival of the fittest.
3. He has not given any explanation about slow changes and abrupt changes occurring during evolution.

• The period after the organism has been dead.
• The activity of C-14 in the dead organism.
• Ratio between C-14 and C-12.

• There are similarities in the structure and anatomy of different animal groups. E.g. human hand, forelimb of bull, patagium of bat and flipper of whale are all similar in their internal anatomy. There is similarity in the bones and joints of all these specimens.
• External morphology does not show any similarity. Use of each of the organ is also different in different animals. Structurally, they may not be related.
• However, the similarities in the anatomy is an evidence that they may have a common ancestor.
• In this way, the anatomical evidence throws light on the process of evolution.

(2) The mechanism of hereditary changes:

• Mutation: Sudden change in the parental DNA can cause mutations. This results into changes in the hereditary characters.
• At the time of meiosis, the crossing over takes place. This creates new recombination of the genetic information. Therefore, the haploid gametes produced carry changed hereditary characters.

• Very young embryos of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals show quite similar structure in the early stages.
• As the further growth takes place, they acquire different patterns.
• The initial similarity between the vertebrate embryos is an evidence that during evolution, there was a common ancestor for all the vertebrate classes.
• This is called embryological evidence for vertebrate evolution.

• Fossils offer palaeontological evidence for the evolutionary process.
• Due to some natural calamities the organisms get buried during ancient times.
• The impressions and remnants of such organisms remain preserved underground. The hot lava also traps some organisms or their impressions. All such formations form fossils.
• Study of fossils help the researcher to understand the characteristics of the organisms that existed in the past.
• Carbon dating method also helps in finding out exact age of the fossil. According to the structure of earth’s crust the fossils are obtained at specific depths.
• The oldest ones are obtained at the depth while the relatively recent ones occupy the upper surface. Thus fossils of invertebrates were seen in very old Palaeozoic era. Later were seen fossils of Pisces, Amphibia and Reptilia. The Mesozoic era was dominated by reptiles while Coenozoic era showed presence of mammals.
• In this way, study of fossils unfold the evolutionary secrets.

• Every species survives in specific geographical conditions. The requirements of food and habitat, is specific for each species. Their reproductive ability and period is also different.
• Therefore, the individuals from one species cannot reproduce with individuals from other species.
• When they are separated by a distance or geographical barriers they are said to be isolated geographically.
• When they cannot reproduce with each other, they are said to be isolated reproductively.
• The ancestor species of both these subspecies may be the same but due to isolation over a very long-time duration, there is genetic variation between the two. Therefore, the isolation leads to speciation.

• Approximately around 7 crore years back the ice age began on the earth. In such conditions, dinosaurs became extinct. The evolution and diversity of mammals started during this time. Due to change in climate the forest cover also declined rapidly.
• Ancestors of monkey-like animals were Lemur like animals which evolved during this time period.
• The tails of these monkey-like creatures started vanishing very gradually around 4 crore years ago.
• The body and brain both increased in volume forming first ape like animals. The monkey like ancestors gave rise to two evolutionary links to apes and human like animals.
• Later, the human evolution took place by changes in the brain volume, the ability to walk upright, excessive use of hand for manipulations.
• This journey of human evolution began 7 crore years ago. But the true wise and intelligent man arose around 50,000 years ago.