Learn the process of evolution of species with this online course

Published: Wednesday, February 12, 2014, 17:28 [IST]

It has been discovered that currently there are 6 million species alive on the planet. This diversity is extraordinary, but how did all these species come to be and what causes one species to change into another? In this course the candidate will explore the concepts of evolution by natural selection and view the natural world in an evolutionary light. The course will follow the development of Darwin's theory into modern evolutionary biology.

Aims of the course:

To introduce evolution by natural selection.
To understand evolution in the light of modern genetics.
To understand the role of sex in natural selection.
To investigate the why survival of the fittest can lead to the development of cooperative behaviour.
To understand the 'mystery of mysteries' - what leads to the evolution of a new species.

Course content overview:

During the course, the candidate will investigate the development of the theory of evolution by natural selection. The course will begin with a general introduction of how natural selection works with examples of natural selection in the real world. It will then go on to explain evolution in the light of the modern synthesis and the development of modern genetics. During the course, the course provider will try to answer difficult questions faced by evolutionary biologists such as: