Mermaid
In the scientific sense, individual animals can't evolve - only populations of animals can evolve.
There is naturally a lot of variation between animals in any population, and only the animals in the population with the most appropriate characteristics will survive to pass on their genes (and therefore their characteristics) to the next generation of the population. So in the scientific sense of the word, the possibilities are already present in the population, and the process of evolution acts on them to create change in the population.
For example - say we have a population of wooly rhinos. Some will be more wooly and some less wooly. Now imagine the climate starts to cool. Only the woolliest wooly rhinos will survive, and therefore only the woolliest rhinos will get a chance to breed. Therefore the next generation of wooly rhinos will be woolier on average than their parents were. Eventually, if the climate keeps coolling, a whole new species of rhino may evolve - the SUPERWOOLLY rhino.
Sorry if this isn't clear enough, or is too scientific & boring. Genetics is my university major - I love arguments like this!
Bright blessings - Mermaid
There is naturally a lot of variation between animals in any population, and only the animals in the population with the most appropriate characteristics will survive to pass on their genes (and therefore their characteristics) to the next generation of the population. So in the scientific sense of the word, the possibilities are already present in the population, and the process of evolution acts on them to create change in the population.
For example - say we have a population of wooly rhinos. Some will be more wooly and some less wooly. Now imagine the climate starts to cool. Only the woolliest wooly rhinos will survive, and therefore only the woolliest rhinos will get a chance to breed. Therefore the next generation of wooly rhinos will be woolier on average than their parents were. Eventually, if the climate keeps coolling, a whole new species of rhino may evolve - the SUPERWOOLLY rhino.
Sorry if this isn't clear enough, or is too scientific & boring. Genetics is my university major - I love arguments like this!
Bright blessings - Mermaid
