What does evolution mean and how does it happen?
Evolution is the gradual change in a species’ genetic make-up that allows it to adapt to its surroundings better than others. Individuals with this beneficial mutation will have a better chance of surviving to pass on their genes. This is known as “survival of the fittest”. Evolution happens when there is a genetic mutation. We get 50% of our genetic characteristics from each parent. These then combine during meiosis but with some alteration. This changes how the genes are expressed. Consider the giraffe. They are tall because they have adapted to feed on leaf shoots high in the canopy. Their antecedents would not have been so tall but perhaps one individual was born slightly taller than its peers. He would have been able to feed better and grown more robust. attracting a good mate. His progeny would have inherited this “taller” gene. Eventually, there would have been more “tall” proto-giraffes than short ones who would not have been able to compete for food. The short ones would die o
