Asked by london
A scientist is analyzing tissue samples from an Asian elephant and an extinct woolly mammoth. When he sequences their DNA, he finds the genetic information of these animals to be about 99% identical, but not exactly the same. Can this information be used as evidence for evolution?
A.
Yes, genetic information can be a source of evidence for evolution.
B.
No, genetic information is never a source of evidence for evolution.
C.
Yes, but only because elephants and mammoths look similar.
D.
No, the DNA sequences of the samples were not exactly the same.
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
A.
Yes — genetic similarity is strong evidence for evolution. Close DNA matches (like ~99% identity) indicate common ancestry; the small differences reflect divergence by mutation and selection after the lineages split. The fact the sequences are not exactly identical does not contradict evolution — it’s exactly what evolutionary theory predicts. Options B, C and D are incorrect for those reasons.
Yes — genetic similarity is strong evidence for evolution. Close DNA matches (like ~99% identity) indicate common ancestry; the small differences reflect divergence by mutation and selection after the lineages split. The fact the sequences are not exactly identical does not contradict evolution — it’s exactly what evolutionary theory predicts. Options B, C and D are incorrect for those reasons.
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