Since its discovery in 1953, DNA has revolutionized the study of evolutionary relationships. Darwin didn’t know about DNA. He couldn’t explain how traits were passed from one generation to the next—he just knew that they were. Were Darwin alive today, he’d no doubt be astonished at how much we can learn about the natural world without even leaving the lab. Before you start the first level in this mission, “Frog legs and fish eggs,” watch the introductory video and answer the following questions.

Question

Question 1
For a mutation to have an affect on the species as a whole, it must:(1 point)
Responses

Be neutral and not affect the survival of the individual
Be neutral and not affect the survival of the individual

Be inheritable and be able to be passed on to offspring
Be inheritable and be able to be passed on to offspring

Be able to benefit the individual
Be able to benefit the individual
Question 2
What is best to determine if species are closely related?(1 point)
Responses

They have similar physical traits.
They have similar physical traits.

They have similar genetic make up.
They have similar genetic make up.

They live in the same geographic area.
They live in the same geographic area.

They are easily stackable!

Answer 1

Here are the answers to your questions based on the information provided:

Question 1: For a mutation to have an effect on the species as a whole, it must:

• Be inheritable and be able to be passed on to offspring.

Question 2: What is best to determine if species are closely related?

• They have similar genetic make up.

These answers emphasize the importance of genetic inheritance for evolutionary changes and the significance of genetic similarity in determining relationships between species.