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Darwin and Evolution

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2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On The Origin Of Species. This album introduces Darwin's great revelation: that species change and adapt according to their environment. Apparently diverse specimens and fossils reveal surprising results, such as the common ancestry of the hippopotamus and the dolphin, whose evolutionary paths diverged when their habitats changed. Research on sparrows show how particular characteristics are linked to success at surviving in the wild, and the selective breeding of dogs for aesthetic purposes shows how humans can influence the evolution of other species. This material forms part of The Open University course S366 Evolution.

Language: English

Click for further information on this course

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Darwin and Evolution
Duration: 00:01:10
Date: 26.03.2010

Darwin and Evolution
A short introduction to this album.

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Shared ancestries
Duration: 00:04:09
Date: 01.03.2009

Shared ancestries
Exhibits at the Natural History Museum in Tring reveal a striking shared ancestry between the hippo and the dolphin.

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Birds and breeding
Duration: 00:02:32
Date: 01.03.2009

Birds and breeding
Darwin's study of the bizarre results of artificial breeding of pigeons shed light on evolutionary processes.

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Dogs and breeding
Duration: 00:02:23
Date: 01.03.2009

Dogs and breeding
Dogs used to be bred for their ability to help humans. Now selective breeding accentuates physical features at the expense of ability to survive in the wild.

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Sparrows and breeding
Duration: 00:02:16
Date: 01.03.2009

Sparrows and breeding
How differences in 'badge' sizes between males relates to success at finding food and rearing young.

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