Introduction

 Evolution is change over time. Natural selection is the mechanism used to explain how evolution occurs, and Charles Darwin was the person who proposed this theory.   Natural selection is the idea that a population changes over time when the most fit organisms with certain heritable traits produce more offspring than other organisms.  So with natural selection comes evolutionary adaptation, where organisms are better suited to their environment.  The favorable traits will be amplified, gradually accumulating to create small changes, while unfavorable traits will diminish.

Core Concern

What are some new evidences proving the theory of evolution?

Ancient ‘Clawed Bat’ Reveals Clues to Flying Mammal’s Evolution

http://westerndigs.org/ancient-giant-clawed-bat-reveals-clues-to-flying-mammals-evolution/

New fossils found in Wyoming complete the ancient remains first discovered a decade ago.  The new fossils shed light on the evolutionary flight of bats.  The ancient species has been named Onychonycteris finneyi.  Unlike today’s bats that only have one claw on each wing, the 52 million year old fossil has giant claws on each finger and toe.  The claws on the Onychonycteris finneyi were suggested to be useful for climbing trees and hanging upside down.  However, unlike today’s bats their claws weren’t delicate enough for roosting from cave ceilings because of the tiny crevices.  Studying the fossil, also led scientists to believe the modern bats and ancestral bats had different flying mechanisms.  Onychonycteris finneyi had smaller wings.  The predecessors flew by flapping their wings instead of gliding, which is evident in the hip bone structure.  The hip bones of the Onychonycteris finneyi allowed the legs to splay to the side that gave the ancient bats a flat, sleek flying posture.

The content of the source is informational. The author doesn’t really have any bias.  However, there are other theories out there that disapprove of evolution, while this author is in favor of evolution. The information in the report doesn’t directly relate to me but indirectly it does because as a human we have evolved and adapted to our environments, just like bats. The article pertains to what we learn in class as we have been and are still taught the theory of evolution and natural selection. Throughout Earth’s 4.6 billion years, life has evolved and adapted.  Species today aren’t what they were in the past. Also, the article ties into biological diversity and human impact. As populations go through evolutionary adaptation diversity occurs. However, we are seeing less of that now as humans continue to consume and negatively impact species' habitats.

After reading about how bats evolved it was interesting to discover just how long the process is for scientists and paleontologists to completely extract fossil remains and reconstruct the organism.  For the particular species in the article it took the scientists more than a decade to extract, analyze, and make conclusions.

Jessica Lai

Evidence that land animals evolved the ability to breathe air as ancient fish

http://phys.org/news/2014-01-evidence-animals-evolved-ability-air.html

In a new discovery published in the Nature Communications Journal, there is evidence indicating that four-legged animals first developed the ability to breathe air while in water. Polypterus, the most primitive living bony fish, contains large canals on top of its head called spiracles. This allows Polypterus to breathe air while still being in water. The Scripps Research Institute observed and measured the oxygen intake of Polypterus for 360 hours. Professor Long, the Strategic Professor in Palaeontology at Flinders, states that Polypterus were descended from the ancient Gogonasus. Eventually the spiracles evolved into a hearing canal in which transmitted sound to the brain via tiny inner ear bones. 

The source does influence the content of the story by presenting this information as new as exciting discovery for evolution. It is very one-sided and does not provide any counterargument to balance out the story. The information relates to me personally because it re-affirms my belief that evolution exists. There are many people who do not believe it is occurring despite mounting evidence saying otherwise. Studies like this and others will also confirm other people’s assumption about evolution.

This information relates to the topics of evolution and natural selection. This article re-enforce the theory that natural selection is occurring when species with beneficial mutations are allowed to survive and repopulate. This is the same principle is applied to spiracles in fish to evolve into ears used for hearing in humans.

I found this article fascinating on how new information can help us understand a small part of human evolution. While I am aware that humans are descended from monkeys, I can’t fully comprehend the scope of evolution until specific examples are given. While this may seem like a small discovery, it fits into the complex narrative of how we came to be as a species.   

Anusha Joshi

Discussion Questions

• If there is an overwhelming amount of tangible evidence supporting evolution why does creationism continue to persist?
•  Are humans influencing the process of evolution?
• How has evolution been impacted by the environment?

Works Cited

De Pastino, Blake. "Evidence That Land Animals Evolved the Ability to Breathe Air as 

          Ancient Fish." Western Digs. TechMag, 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.

"Evidence That Land Animals Evolved the Ability to Breath Air as Ancient fist." Phys.org.  
         Science X Network, 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.