 Paleontology  Physical Anthropology  Developmental Biology  Evolutionary Biology

 Physical Anthropologists are scientists who study how humans and their ancestors have changed biologically over time.

 Similarities in skull structure offers evidence of common ancestry.  Changes in skull structure indicate change across time.

 The study of prehistoric life and evolutionary relationships through the fossil record.

 Evidence for Change through the fossil record

 Evidence for change across time  Fossil record shows gradual change over time of a large number of species  Higher Rock levels  Younger Fossils found here.  Fossils are similar to modern species  Lower Rock levels  Older fossils found  Fossils are much different from modern species

 Scientists who study the stages of growth and development that living organisms pass through as they grow from fertilized egg to mature adult.

 Embryology- Branch of developmental biology that focuses on the early development of organisms before they are born or hatched.  Embryo- Developing organisms during the prebirth/prehatch stage.

 The presence of DNA in ALL living organisms is evidence that all living things evolved from a common ancestor.

Animal Percentage of DNA that is the same as human DNA Fruit Fly 60% Chicken 60% Domestic cat 90% Monkey (an old world primate) 93% Gibbon (a lesser ape) 95% Chimpanzee (a great ape) 98%

 The Bonobo’s and Chimpanzee’s DNA sequencing is 98% the same as Human DNA sequencing.  This is strong evidence that humans, chimpanzees and Bonobos share a common ancestor.

Evolutionary Biologists are scientists who study how living organisms change physically over time. Charles Darwin wrote “The Origin of Species” Evolution through Natural Selection

 Homologous Structures- Characteristics that are similar among different organisms because they evolved from a common ancestor.  Vestigial Structures- Structures that seemingly serve no purpose in some animals that are functional in other animals.

Evidence for common ancestor Structures evolved and changed across time

 Shows Evidence of change over time as structures that no longer serve a purpose are still present.

 The Pelvic Girdle was functional in the ancestors of the modern Whale.  The structure no longer serves a purpose but is still present