evolution

• Variation


  Differences between individuals in a population
• Phenotype


  Observable characteristics of an individual due to the interaction of genes and environment
• Genes


  Code for proteins and the genome, which is all of an individual's genes combined
• Except for identical twins, everyone has a unique genome</b>
• Environment


  Factors outside of genes that influence an individual's phenotype
• Most characteristics are determined by the interaction of genes and environment
• Mutation


  A change in the DNA code that may change the protein it codes for
• Most mutations don't affect the phenotype
• Beneficial mutations


  Individuals with them are more likely to survive and reproduce
• Natural selection


  The process where the fittest individuals are more likely to survive and pass on their genes
• Evolution


  The change in the characteristics of a species over multiple generations
• All current species have evolved from simple life forms over 3 billion years ago
• Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection took a long time to be accepted, but has now been proven multiple times