Spiral of Life IV: DNA and Evolution

Summary

What do we know about the very first living organisms? Like all life forms today, we know they each had one very important molecule essential to all life: DNA. The Spiral of Life IV takes an in-depth look at the role that DNA has played and continues to play in the development of life.

Explore key genetics concepts throughout evolutionary history, like genome, mutations, hybridization, reproduction, and gene replication. Learn fun facts, such as why humans and mice are 95% genetically similar and how viruses transfer DNA from one organism to another.

The Spiral of Life is a time-scaled modern phylogenetic tree. It uses a radial branching out of species from the last universal common ancestor in order to emphasize that evolution is not exclusively linear or vertical. It also considers the role that lateral gene transfer plays in the evolution of life.