Other Ideas and Possible Investigations
in Molecular Evolution
The Molecular Evolution Committee
Below are some other ideas you may wish to investigate and design your own activities. We are confident that once you start working with the concepts in Molecular Evolution, you will discover many stimulating ideas of your own for exciting, new activities for your students.
- the evolutionary significance in the molecular similarity between chlorophyll and hemoglobin, or between neurotransmitters in various organisms
- using DNA hybridization techniques to investigate the relatedness of organisms
- relating human blood groups to possible migration patterns in our evolutionary development
- antigen/antibody responses and the evolution of the influenza virus
- how viruses can effect the evolution of their host organisms
- biochemical processes of fossilization
- the "pushing" of evolution through genetic engineering (ethical issues)
- looking at bits of information of different types (molecular, fossil, anatomical, and so on) to piece together the relationships between various organisms -- conclusions only reachable by utilizing all pieces and types
- study of diseases such as sickle-cell anemia -- compare data from African populations with that of African-American populations -- employ Hardy-Weinberg?
Again, these are only a few rough ideas. One or more of them may encourage you to pursue the development of a related activity or may stimulate your own ideas from which would be the best base to work.
On to Resource Materials Recommended by
1995 WWNFF Biology Institute Participants
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