Question

Name two types of evidence used to support the theory of evolution. Explain how scientists use each type of evidence to provide support for evolution. Give one example each.

Answer 1

Look up "Lucy" the first so called "human". Also the other known species that are known to have opposable thumbs are primates.

Answer 2

Evidence of evolution

Embryology because identical larvae have different adult body forms similar embryos showing common ancestory.

Geography because island species most closely resemble nearest mainland species.

Fossils in older layers are more primaries than newer layers extinct animals resemble modern animals.

Answer 3

An example, Charles Darwin's observations on finch beaks on the Galapagos islands:

Darwin noticed that beaks on finches varied from each island. Specifically, he noticed that large beaks were evident on finches who ate large seeds, and small beaks were evident on finches who ate small seeds.

Variety in seed size was known to be exclusive to each Galapagos island and even confined to specific regions on each island. Note: both finch types (i.e. large beaks and small beaks) were of the same species. However, the most appropriate beak size with respect to the environment (i.e. what seeds were available--with a focus on size) permitted the male finch to acquire adequate nutrition and therefore maintain enough vigour to reproduce frequently and abundantly. This correlation led Darwin to conclude and believe that finches were naturally selected (i.e. discriminated by nature) according to their beaks.

His data grew to be one of the cornerstones supporting the theory of evolution.

Reference: On the Origin of Species. Charles Darwin. 1859. Digital copy of the original.

Answer 4

@Cardinal_Carlo

You have not read the book I see. He did not realize how many species there were, he thought just a few varieties of one species. So, he sent them to John Gould who found there were 25 species. Darwin barely mentions them in "On the Origin of Species" and does not even use the term "finches" in the passage. He also did not understand why they were different and thought the the differences were due to the birds migrating from different areas and undergoing subsequent change. In fact, he only uses the word "finch" three times in the whole book.

Source:

Numerous instances could be given of this fact. I will give only one, that of the Galapagos Archipelago, situated under the equator, between 500 and 600 miles from the shores of South America. Here almost every product of the land and water bears the unmistakeable stamp of the American continent. There are twenty-six land birds, and twenty-five of these are ranked by Mr. Gould as distinct species, supposed to have been created here; yet the close affinity of most of these birds to American species in every character, in their habits, gestures, and tones of voice, was manifest. So it is with the other animals, and with nearly all the plants, as shown by Dr. Hooker in his admirable memoir on the Flora of this archipelago. The naturalist, looking at the inhabitants of these volcanic islands in the Pacific, distant several hundred miles from the continent, yet feels that he is standing on American land. Why should this be so? why should the species which are supposed to have been created in the Galapagos Archipelago, and nowhere else, bear so plain a stamp of affinity to those created in America? There is nothing in the conditions of life, in the geological nature of the islands, in their height or climate, or in the proportions in which the several classes are associated together, which resembles closely the conditions of the South American coast: in fact there is a considerable dissimilarity in all these respects. On the other hand, there is a considerable degree of resemblance in the volcanic nature of the soil, in climate, height, and size of the islands, between the Galapagos and Cape de Verde Archipelagos: but what an entire and absolute difference in their inhabitants! The inhabitants of the Cape de Verde Islands are related to those of Africa, like those of the Galapagos to America. I believe this grand fact can receive no sort of explanation on the ordinary view of independent creation; whereas on the view here maintained, it is obvious that the Galapagos Islands would be likely to receive colonists, whether by occasional means of transport or by formerly continuous land, from America; and the Cape de Verde Islands from Africa; and that such colonists would be liable to modification;—the principle of inheritance still betraying their original birthplace.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1228/1228-h/1228-h.htm