Natural selection is super important for creating the many different kinds of living things we see today. Let's break down how it works in simple terms:
Variation: In any group of animals or plants, you'll find differences. Some might be bigger, smaller, faster, or have different colors. These differences come from their genes and the places they live.
Survival and Reproduction: The individuals with traits that help them in their environment are more likely to live longer and have babies. For example, in a fast-moving river, fish that are shaped like torpedoes can swim better and get away from predators.
Adaptation: Over a long time, the helpful traits become more common in the group. Take the peppered moth for instance: during the Industrial Revolution, the darker moths blended in better with the soot-covered trees, so they survived more often and their numbers grew.
Speciation: As groups of living things adapt to different environments over time, they can change enough to become new species. This helps to create even more variety in life.
In short, natural selection helps the best traits survive and allows new species to form, making life on Earth diverse and interesting.
Natural selection is super important for creating the many different kinds of living things we see today. Let's break down how it works in simple terms:
Variation: In any group of animals or plants, you'll find differences. Some might be bigger, smaller, faster, or have different colors. These differences come from their genes and the places they live.
Survival and Reproduction: The individuals with traits that help them in their environment are more likely to live longer and have babies. For example, in a fast-moving river, fish that are shaped like torpedoes can swim better and get away from predators.
Adaptation: Over a long time, the helpful traits become more common in the group. Take the peppered moth for instance: during the Industrial Revolution, the darker moths blended in better with the soot-covered trees, so they survived more often and their numbers grew.
Speciation: As groups of living things adapt to different environments over time, they can change enough to become new species. This helps to create even more variety in life.
In short, natural selection helps the best traits survive and allows new species to form, making life on Earth diverse and interesting.