Evolution is one of the main theories that we use to establish how this world works, and how species have come to evolve. In fact, there are plenty of pieces of evidence which point towards the fact that evolution is a proven theory, and this seems to be the idea that is held by the majority of scientists nowadays. There are still a few people out there which seem determine to discredit the theory of evolution however, so in this article we are going to take a little look at the theories which prove that evolution exists.
Evolution is Observable
Perhaps one of the biggest things that point towards the theory of evolution is that it is observable. We have observed this in the wild, and we have observed this in the laboratory. For example, we have taken a little look at the finches which Darwin originally carried out research on. Here we have discovered that they have ‘adapted’ over time in order to deal with their environment. For example, we have looked at them and seen that their beaks have become ‘tougher’ as the food they were required to eat changed i.e. seeds instead of fruit. Studies have also taken place in laboratories which show that natural selection takes place, both in terms of actual animals as well as other living organisms like bacteria. This is a fast process and it is incredibly easy to observe, this is probably one of the main theories as to why evolution is supported.
DNA Evidence
Every living creature has DNA. In fact, they are the ‘building blocks’ of everything. It is the DNA which tells us how to act, how to grow and how various parts of our body has come to be. Over time, as species have evolved some parts of the DNA have been kept the same, whereas others have changed. This seems to be the biggest proof of a ‘common ancestor’. The majority of the species that exist nowadays seem to have similarities in DNA. For example, did you know that we share 60% of our DNA with a Slug? Or perhaps 98% with a Chimp? This is a startling discovery, and seems to be the best piece of evidence that we have into establishing whether evolution exists or not. Hint: It exists.
Fossil Evidence
There is a LOT of fossil evidence out there which seems to show evolution at work. In fact, you could pretty much line-up fossils and see evolution in action. You can see the way in which the body of any animal has adapted over time to deal with the changing environment. In fact, the most startling piece of evidence will be in the evolution in humans. Evidence has shown that our bodies began to adapt to the environment as the land converted from forests to flat plains as we wouldn’t need to climb as much and instead walking was more commonplace. This is the reason why we have long legs and short arms.
