Fossils and Antibiotic Resistance

• What are fossils?

  Remains of organisms from long ago
• What are the three ways that fossils form?

  Gradual replacement, casts and impressions, preservation
• How do fossils contribute to the theory of evolution?

  They show changes in organisms over time
• Why is there uncertainty over how life began?

  The fossil record is incomplete
• What type of organisms are often missing from the fossil record?

  Soft-bodied organisms
• What geological activities can destroy fossils?

  Various geological activities
• What is MRSA?

  A type of antibiotic-resistant bacterium
• Why can bacteria evolve quickly?

  They reproduce rapidly
• How do random mutations affect bacteria?

  They can lead to antibiotic resistance
• What happens to resistant bacteria when antibiotics are used?

  They survive and reproduce
• Why is developing new antibiotics challenging?

  It is costly and slow
• Why do resistant bacteria spread easily?

  People aren't immune and lack treatment
• What are three ways to reduce antibiotic-resistant strains?

  • Avoid prescribing antibiotics for non-serious infections
  • Ensure patients complete the full course of antibiotics
  • Reduce antibiotic use in agriculture
• What can happen to bacteria not destroyed by antibiotics?

  They might develop antibiotic resistance
• How do fossils show changes in organisms over time?

  • Fossils provide evidence of physical changes
  • They indicate evolutionary adaptations
  • They reflect environmental changes affecting life