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Natural Selection: Evolutionary Process

Decent Essays

Tricia Lors
May 4, 2016
Psy 212
Natural selection is the evolutionary process by which heritable traits that best enables organisms to survive and reproduce in a particular environment are passed to ensuing generations. Organism within the same species may develop new characteristics based on their environment to ensure their survival. The new genetic development within the species maybe then passed on to their offspring. Those within the species that do not develop a new characteristic to adapt to the altering environment are left prone to disease, deformities, and even death or extinction.
Charles Darwin during the 19th century brought proof to the theory of natural selection during a study in the Galápagos Islands. He acknowledged that …show more content…

aureus would have to adapt to the toxin in its' environment or become extinct. By 1950, the bacteria gained immunity to the toxins, penicillin would no longer be an effective source of killing the bacteria; and a new antibiotic would soon be used to fight the penicillin resistant bacteria. Methicillin became the preferred drug to destroy S. aureus. Consequently, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics has allowed S. aureus to undergo natural selection again. The bacteria has mutated and adapted; it is resistant to methicillin. Thus, S. aureus ensures its survival and portrays the relevance of natural selection in the 21st century (http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/antimicrobialResistance/Examples/mrsa/Pages/history.aspx).
The topic of natural selection is very intriguing as well as important. Mutations continue to occur in all organism and sometimes this change can be beneficial or detrimental to that organism or another organism. In healthcare the overuse and misuse of antibiotics has caused some infectious bacteria to become resistant to modern medicine. This leaves any individual prone to an incurable infection or disease that can result in death. This topic is resourceful and applies to my life and the entire world. In addition, I am pursuing a career in

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