Evolution

17 interactive Biology simulations on evolution.

Evidence for evolution – anatomy, embryos, fossils and molecules Biology · Evolution An evidence lab with four stations: colour the homologous bones of the pentadactyl limbs of a human, a bat, a whale... Ages 17–18
Cladograms and phylogenetic trees – build them from characters or sequences Biology · Evolution Build a cladogram from a table of shared derived characters rooted with an outgroup, or from aligned DNA and protein... Ages 17–18
Natural selection – rabbit population, mutations, wolves and food Biology · Evolution A rabbit population breeds over many generations: each rabbit carries two alleles of every gene (fur colour, ear... Ages 17–18
Natural selection – changing allele frequency (peppered moth) Biology · Evolution A moth population rests on tree trunks: genotypes AA and Aa give dark wings, aa gives light wings, and each genotype... Ages 17–18
Speciation – allopatric and sympatric (polyploidy), reproductive isolation and the species concept Biology · Evolution A population of mice is split in two by a geographic barrier (a river, a mountain range or the sea). The two sides... Ages 17–18
Fossils and dating – rock-strata dig, index fossils and radiometric dating Biology · Evolution Excavate two rock sequences layer by layer, record which fossils appear and disappear, and use the law of... Ages 17–18
Lamarck vs Darwin – two theories of evolution tested Biology · Evolution Two giraffe herds evolve side by side from the same short-necked ancestors. Under Lamarck's rules every giraffe... Ages 17–18
Specimen spotting gallery – identify and classify organisms Biology · Evolution A virtual spotting practical with 32 drawn specimens: bacteria, Oscillatoria, Spirogyra, Rhizopus, yeast, mushroom,... Ages 11–12
Drought and finch beak depth – selection on a quantitative trait, R = h²S Biology · Evolution A population of ground finches varies continuously in beak depth, and part of that variation is inherited... Ages 17–18
Origin of life – Miller–Urey experiment, spontaneous generation and protocells Biology · Evolution Four screens on the origin of life. Spontaneous generation: repeat Redi's meat jars, Needham's and Spallanzani's... Ages 17–18
Endosymbiosis and genome evolution Biology · Evolution Three screens on how eukaryotic cells and genomes became more complex. Endosymbiosis: along a timeline, a host cell... Ages 17–18
Animal kingdom – body plans and classification of phyla Biology · Evolution A key based on body plan: level of organisation, symmetry, germ layers, body cavity, notochord and segmentation lead... Ages 11–12
Human evolution – hominin skulls, skeletons, stone tools and out of Africa Biology · Evolution Compare schematic skulls, pelvises and femurs of a chimpanzee and fossil hominins up to Homo sapiens: brain volume,... Ages 17–18
Genetic drift – Wright–Fisher model, bottleneck and founder effect Biology · Evolution Several populations of the same size N start with the same frequency p₀ of allele A; each generation, the 2N alleles... Ages 17–18
Endler's Guppies – Natural and Sexual Selection on Colour Spots Biology · Evolution Set the predators and the strength of female preference in a guppy pool and follow the number and length of the... Ages 17–18
Pollination and coevolution – flowers and pollinators, courtship and evolutionary arms races Biology · Evolution Four screens on reproductive success: design a flower (colour, scent, nectar, corolla tube, opening time,... Ages 16–17
Extinction and environmental change – adapt, shift range or die out; mass extinctions Biology · Evolution Six species sharing a landscape face climate warming, habitat loss or a sudden catastrophe. Set the rate of change... Ages 17–18