How does our DNA change through evolution???
Ultimately all changes in DNA sequence across all living organisms are the result of mutations. Essentially, the copying process went wrong somewhere along the line and generated a change. These may occur as a result of many factors. 1.) Substitutions are changes in single bases. A becomes T for example. In a large fraction of cases, this will lead to a change in the amino acid, which in turn changes the protein. 2.) Indels (insertion/deletion events) will add or subtract DNA. During replication, a segment of DNA may be added or removed leading to a change. It is also possible that DNA becomes damaged or lost and that change is passed on to future generations. 3.) Recombination can lead to novel arrangements of existing strands of DNA. It can also occur improperly and generate change (often through indels). 4.) Chromosomal rearrangement. If chromosomes break they may reattach elsewhere, become a whole new chromosome, or lose parts entirely. This can lead to moving an allele into a completely new gene environment. The protein itself may not change, but the expression of the protein might. Finally, natural selection and random effects (such as bottlenecks) will affect the gene frequencies. Sometimes these will allow for new interactions of genes.
Upward evolution?
Your starting to annoy me. Aquired by birth, okay? How does that statistcally make it reproduce more. Does it think to itself "hmm this is a good trait, I think I'll pass it on". You just assume it. Statistically all your bs is a real bad bet. You need billions of years to allow your system of aquired traits (mutations?) to move life sideways along the evolutionary ladder till we get to humans. Not upward, not a higher form, just better to survive by instinct. Keep preaching your religion. Never mind that it flies in the face of common sense.
Does technology help or hinder human evolution?
It's probably going to be the way humanity evolves for now. I can easily see a world where people begin to rely on external memory banks to remember information, use sophisticated machines to perform mathematics, and a global communication system to argue the existence of God. Wait, that's already happening! :-) Seriously, we may find that cybernetics will develop a new breed of humans that have advanced abilities in some field. This, of course, is not biological evolution, but societies evolve all the time, so why not mention that? It is possible that humanity will begin to use the sciences of biochemistry and genetics to do biological enhancements and perhaps eliminate most genetically-caused disorders, such as hemophilia. Indeed, to answer the question, it is more likely that near-future advances will likely accelerate human evolution.
Christians, evolution, and taking high school biology?
Hi. You know where I stand. The Holy Spirit gave me the ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. Biology is part of Gods Creation. When I was in College I had a part time job at Toronto General Hospital as an autopsy assistant. It made me contemplate the complexity and the frailty of the gift of life. If she is strong enough to reject the theory of evolution, she can deal with it in class. I must commend her for her strong faith. However we must live in this world but we don't have to be "of the world". As a Funeral Director and Embalmer, the wonder and magnificence of Gods creation of life and mankind never wavered, it was strengthened. Encourage her to take the class Mark
Is artificial selection considered evolution?
Even though I do not believe in evolution, I somewhat agree with Bruce's answer, However that answer alone is all based more on a Philosophical point of view as it pertains to Evolution, and that's the problem isn't it? I mean behind the whole thing concerning evolution is based upon Philosophical & ideological interpretation of evidence supporting that. I would say in the Strictest sense, That Artifical selection would not be. To me ? Evolution is an enabler for atheism. Evolution gives atheists a basis for explaining how life exists apart from a Creator God. Evolution denies the need for a God to be involved in the universe. Evolution is the “creation theory” for the religion of atheism. According to the Bible, the choice is clear. We can believe the Word of our omnipotent and omniscient God, or we can believe the illogically biased, “scientific” explanations of fools.