The blend of genetics and evolutionary biology created an important idea called the Modern Synthesis. This idea came about in the early to mid-1900s. It connects Darwin’s thoughts on natural selection with Mendel’s ideas about genetics. Let’s see how this changed our understanding of evolution:
Genetic Variation: The Modern Synthesis highlighted that differences among individuals happen because of changes in their genes, called mutations. For example, if a plant gets a mutation that changes its flower color, it might attract more bees and butterflies. This could help the plant survive better.
Population Genetics: Scientists like Sewall Wright and Ronald Fisher used math to study how the variety of genes in a group of organisms changes over time. This led to the idea of microevolution, which is the small changes that happen in populations.
Speciation: The Modern Synthesis showed how small genetic changes can build up over time, leading to new species. This connects the small changes (microevolution) to bigger changes (macroevolution).
In summary, adding genetics to evolutionary biology gave us a clearer picture of how evolution works. It showed us that changes in species happen slowly but can be measured. This understanding has significantly influenced how we think about evolution today.
The blend of genetics and evolutionary biology created an important idea called the Modern Synthesis. This idea came about in the early to mid-1900s. It connects Darwin’s thoughts on natural selection with Mendel’s ideas about genetics. Let’s see how this changed our understanding of evolution:
Genetic Variation: The Modern Synthesis highlighted that differences among individuals happen because of changes in their genes, called mutations. For example, if a plant gets a mutation that changes its flower color, it might attract more bees and butterflies. This could help the plant survive better.
Population Genetics: Scientists like Sewall Wright and Ronald Fisher used math to study how the variety of genes in a group of organisms changes over time. This led to the idea of microevolution, which is the small changes that happen in populations.
Speciation: The Modern Synthesis showed how small genetic changes can build up over time, leading to new species. This connects the small changes (microevolution) to bigger changes (macroevolution).
In summary, adding genetics to evolutionary biology gave us a clearer picture of how evolution works. It showed us that changes in species happen slowly but can be measured. This understanding has significantly influenced how we think about evolution today.