Darwin, Wallace & Lamarck

• Who proposed the early theory of evolution that suggested organisms could acquire new traits?

  Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
• What did Lamarck's theory suggest about the inheritance of traits?

  Acquired traits could be passed to offspring
• Why do giraffes have long necks according to Lamarck's theory?

  They stretched their necks to reach food
• How did Lamarck explain the passing of traits to offspring?

  Acquired traits were inherited by offspring
• What was the main reason Lamarck's theory was proven incorrect?

  Acquired traits do not affect DNA sequence
• Who are the two scientists that proposed the theory of natural selection?

  Charles Darwin and Russel Wallace
• What did Darwin observe about individual organisms within a species?

  They show a wide range of variation
• What did Darwin notice about fossils in older rock layers?

  They were less complex than recent fossils
• What is the title of Darwin's book that proposed natural selection?

  "On the Origin of Species"
• How did Wallace contribute to the theory of natural selection?

  He arrived at a similar conclusion independently
• How does Darwin and Wallace's theory differ from Lamarck's theory regarding giraffes?

  Long necks arise from natural variation, not acquisition
• Why were giraffes with longer necks better adapted to their environment?

  They could eat leaves from taller trees
• What was the outcome for giraffes with longer necks in terms of reproduction?

  They had a higher chance of surviving and reproducing
• What process produced modern giraffes with long necks over generations?

  Natural selection favored longer necks
• What were some reasons people didn't accept Darwin and Wallace's theory initially?

  Religious beliefs and lack of evidence
• How did the discovery of DNA impact the acceptance of Darwin's theory?

  It explained inheritance and variation mechanisms
• What is the main concept of Lamarck's theory of evolution?

  Organisms acquire traits during their lifetime
• What does modern genetics say about acquired traits?

  They do not affect DNA and aren't inherited