Introduction to Natural Selection

Charles Darwin studied many species, but he also hindered their continued study by eating his specimens. Like many sailors, he enjoyed the taste of the Galapagos tortoise so much for many years that no ship made it all the way back to...

The peppered moth is featured in a video about natural selection. The narrator tells the story of Darwin's theory and then moves on to the principles behind natural selection and the different ways it works. Concepts covered include...

Viewers l earn about the rise and fall of social Darwinism, eugenics, and flawed science during the 23rd episode of the Crash Course History of Science video series. The video covers if awesomeness is hereditary, the invention of birth...

Can natural disasters alter natural selection? The interactive explores this concept with mice living through a forest fire. As the environment changes, the camouflage also changes. How does this one disaster impact future generations?

Between 1968 and 2002, the total number of peppered moths decreased by almost two thirds, although scientists do now know why. In the 10th video of the series, the instructor defines evolution as any changes to a gene pool. Scholars then...

Viewers explore real-world examples of both evolution and natural selection as the instructor discusses changes to the environment, mutations causing changes in phenotypes and changing the fitness in organisms, and how humans are...

Humans, through artificial selection, created a dog that is hypoallergenic, loves water, is good with kids, very smart, and comes in a variety of colors — a labradoodle. Through the analysis of dog breeds, class members explore...

Sickle cell disease only occurs when both parents contribute the trait, and mostly in those of African descent. Where did it come from? How did it evolve? Tony Allison, a molecular biologist, noticed a connection between sickle cell and...

Some species have one gender that is r-selected while the other is K-selected.  A video focuses on growth rate and the difference between r-selected species and K-selected species. It includes a discussion of fecundity and carrying...

Examine exactly what is meant by natural selection, as well as how it works in nature and through the assistance of humans. Presented with fun graphics and simple narration, the complex topic of natural selection is clearly explained in...