What is evolution? with Alice Hughes
This is the conversation with Prof. Alice Hughes. She is working at XTBG in China. Her work focuses on understanding patterns of biodiversity and drivers of biodiversity change, with an aim to form more rigorous & appropriate conservation. In this conversation we discuss about what is evolution, how it works, why it is important to study, Evolution vs intelligent design, Artificial breeding, proof of evolution and complex traits like altruism.
Guest info:
Episode links:
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:57 Alice's work
00:03:36 Life beyond humans
00:05:12 What Evolution by natural selection is?
00:12:12 Timescale of evolution
00:17:15 What is genetics and a gene?
00:22:25 Effects of changes in genes
00:24:01 Importance of variation in natural selection
00:25:03 Strangeness of Panda's
00:26:18 Importance of breeding for evolution
00:27:39 A walk toward our common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos
00:31:40 Success of humans in passing on their gene pools
00:35:28 Evolution of religion
00:38:53 Evolution vs Intelligent design
00:42:47 Proof of evolution
00:45:45 Sexual or asexual reproduction
00:49:37 Altruism
00:52:45 Homosexuality
00:56:24 Adoption
00:58:59 Why it is difficult to understand evolution?
01:02:23 Material to read
01:03:17 Thanks!