Evolution Blog

Myth/Misconception: The Second Law of Thermodynamics disproves evolution. The Second Law of Thermodynamics says that disorder, or entropy, tends to increase over time. This might seem to conflict with the idea of evolution, which suggests that complexity increases over time. For example, material items left unattended will deteriorate rather than evolve into something more complex. This is because the Second Law applies to closed systems with no external energy input. The Earth is not a closed system. It constantly receives energy from the Sun which is then converted through natural processes, and drives the development and complexity of life on Earth. So, while entropy increases in a closed system, the influx of solar energy supports the ongoing development of life and complexity in an open system.  This myth interested me because it highlights the conflict and common misunderstanding between the two scientific concepts. The Second Law, is often misapplied to biological evolu...

Are there trends in evolution, and if so, what processes generate them? Evolutionary trends are consistent changes within a lineage or across multiple lineages over time. To be considered a trend, changes must occur for a significant amount of time and not just random fluctuations. For example, a clear trend of increasing horn size over time, suggests a non-random evolutionary pattern. This trend might be linked to increased body size or an advantage in mating. However, evolutionary trends are not always uniform across all lineages. While some lineages, like certain dinosaurs, have shown a trend towards larger body sizes, others have remained small or even evolved smaller sizes, such as island-dwelling species. The concept of evolution being progressive is debated and often viewed through an anthropocentric lens, where progress is inaccurately defined. Evolution is better understood as a branching tree, with various organisms evolving in diverse ways rather than in a linear fashion.

My name is Catrina Aguirre I am a senior at Oklahoma State University studying to get my Biochemistry , Biology , and Physiology degrees, and eventually go to medical school where I hope to become an orthopedic surgeon. I currently enjoy working as a CNA and am excited to further my career in the medical field. Some things I love to do in my free time are: Running Reading Puzzles Coloring Swimming/Surfing Watching/Playing sports Building Legos Binging TV shows with my best friends I love Italian food and I could eat Pasta for every meal. This is my Chihuahua his name is Picasso. My favorite color is navy.