Adaptations happen quickly when the environment changes. But how fast this occurs can be different for each species.
Take the peppered moths, for example. During the industrialization period, these moths changed from light to dark in just 50 years! This shows us how fast natural selection can work.
Here are some important points to remember:
Mutation Rate: Organisms can have a mutation rate of about 1 in a billion changes for each part of their DNA every generation.
Rapid Evolution: Some studies suggest that we can see changes in response to the environment within just 10 to 20 generations.
Examples: Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics in only a few weeks.
These fast adaptations show us how evolution is always moving and changing!
Adaptations happen quickly when the environment changes. But how fast this occurs can be different for each species.
Take the peppered moths, for example. During the industrialization period, these moths changed from light to dark in just 50 years! This shows us how fast natural selection can work.
Here are some important points to remember:
Mutation Rate: Organisms can have a mutation rate of about 1 in a billion changes for each part of their DNA every generation.
Rapid Evolution: Some studies suggest that we can see changes in response to the environment within just 10 to 20 generations.
Examples: Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics in only a few weeks.
These fast adaptations show us how evolution is always moving and changing!