If we think of the history of the universe in terms of 12 months, the history of humanlike primates would have taken
up only about __________.
90 minutes
Modern-looking humans evolved about __________ years ago.
100,000
Who classified plants and animals into a systema naturae, which led to the taxonomic system we use today?
Carolus Linnaeus
Which scientist developed a theory of evolution by way of natural selection at about the same time as Darwin?
Alfred Russel Wallace
In 1859, Charles Darwin published __________.
The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection
The main process that increases the frequency of adaptive traits through time is called __________.
natural selection
Gregor Mendel was a pioneer in the field of __________.
genetics
The observable appearance of a pea plant is called its __________.
phenotype
Which pair of scientists is famous for discovering the structure of the DNA molecule?
Watson and Crick
Where does protein synthesis take place?
at the ribosome
Which base is present in RNA but not in DNA?
uracil
__________ is the exchange of sections of chromosomes between one chromosome and another.
Crossing-over
Charles Darwin was not the first person to discuss evolutionary processes, but he is famous because he
was the first to provide a comprehensive, well-documented explanation of natural selection
What does Darwinian evolution maintain about the evolutionary relationship between humans and monkeys?
Humans and monkeys are descended from a common ancestor that lived long ago.
What happens to a species when environments change?
Different traits will become adaptive.
Natural selection cannot account for the variation in frequency of __________ traits
neutral
What is a dominant trait?
one which is always expressed in the presence of another variant
Mendel's units of heredity were what we now call __________.
genes
If two alleles for a trait are the same, the organism is __________ for the trait.
homozygous
Which of these statements is true regarding human chromosomes?
Egg and sperm cells have 23 chromosomes, while all other body cells contain 46.
What does messenger RNA do?
It copies the information on DNA for use in protein synthesis.
Why are most traits not simply a matter of dominant and recessive inheritance?
Most traits are influenced by the activity of many different genes
__________ is the only way to produce variation in species that reproduce asexually.
Mutation
Founder effect is a variety of __________.
genetic drift
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution suggests that __________.
one species could, over time, evolve into another
What is the creationist argument against macroevolution?
Living organisms are so complex that random processes, such as natural selection, could never have created them.
Natural selection operates on an individual's __________.
phenotype
The fields of __________ and __________ involve the application of evolutionary principles to the behavior of
animals.
sociobiology; behavioral ecology
What is the focus of molecular anthropology?
genetic mutations
The idea of "dual inheritance" sees human behavior as deriving from both __________ and __________.
culture; genetics
Which of these organisms would be highest on Macrobius' "chain of being"?
humans
Which of these is an example of Lamarckian inheritance of acquired characteristics?
Giraffes have long necks as a result of stretching to reach the leaves on tall trees.
Which of these is a core principle of natural selection?
differential reproductive success
Which of these is an example of a maladaptive trait?
Humans are prone to back pain and varicose veins because we walk upright.
Which of these is an example of normalizing selection?
birth weight in babies
Which of these structures is the smallest?
allele
Which of these is a simple trait, coded with one pair of alleles?
pea color
What process provides a possible explanation for the higher frequency of type O blood in Native American
populations than in other groups?
founder effect
Which of these is an example of hybridization?
a wolf and a dog mate and have a healthy litter of pups
Which common rebuttal against evolutionary theory relates back to Paley's "divine watchmaker" argument?
The eye is too complex an organ to have evolved gradually
How did Cuvier's theory of catastrophism conflict with early evolutionary thinking?
It held that disasters, like floods or earthquakes, completely wiped out species, and new ones were created to
replace them.
What consideration must be taken into account when determining whether or not a trait is adaptive?
the particular environment
What evidence do scientists need to show that observed changes are actually due to natural selection?
experimental manipulation of a population
Distinguish between an allele and a gene
Alleles are one member of a pair of genes
Why do brothers and sisters not look exactly alike?
Each fertilized egg gets a random assortment of genes from the mother and the father
How do we know that genetic mutations are not always bad?
They are relatively frequent, but often have little to no effect
When gene flow occurs, its effect is opposite that of genetic drift, because gene flow __________.
tends to decrease the genetic differences between populations
Scholars who support punctuated equilibrium disagree with what traditional idea in evolution?
species evolve slowly over time
What is the difference between microevolution and macroevolution?
Microevolution refers to change within species; macroevolution refers to the production of new species.
In what way has the sociobiological approach aroused controversy in anthropology?
The emphasis in sociobiology is on genes, rather than experience, as a determinant of human behavior