Essay on Practical Applications of Evolutionary Biology

Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallaces concept of natural selection and descent with modification helped shape the theory of evolution which holds as much weight as the theory of relativity per se. Evolutionary biology is the science devoted to understanding how populations change through time in response to modifications of their environment and how new species come into being by studying adaptation and diversity (Freeman and Herron 2004). Evolutionary biology has proved that all organisms have evolved from a common ancestor over the last 3.5 billion years. There is a common misconception that evolution is only a theoretical or abstract science with little or no relevance to the real world (Halliburton, 2004). This common misperception†¦show more content†¦Bull and Whichman (2001) state how understanding evolution can help us retard or even prevent the evolution of resistance. They further delineate that: The misuse of antibiotics encourages evolution in the bacterium so that it is no longer affected by the drug. If the bacterium spreads, then people contracting it are at risk of an untreatable infection, no matter how conscientious they have been in their past use of antibiotics. (2001) This study concluded that resistance might become a global problem very quickly most likely due to a high volume of international travel among humans and animals. It is the job of the evolutionary biologists in conjunction with the medical community and profession to inform the public about bacterial resistance management. Some applications covered would be proper dosage requirements, combinational drug therapy and administering selective application of antibiotics with patients and animals. Learning about the evolutionary origins of disease as well as the basic processes of evolution may provide insight on how to treat current diseases such as Huntingtons Chorea - which may help us better understand the genetic roots of disease. A flu shot is an example of how we can hinder the evolution of resistance by the way we apply these toxins to our bodys environment. Since the dawn of man, humans have been constantly creating defensesShow MoreRelatedSocial Psychology : An Uphill Battle Against Behaviorism1536 Words   |  7 Pagesthat Kurt Lewin found that the best theories are the practical ones, where researchers take their findings and knowledge to make sense of and make a difference in the real world. It would not be too much to say that social psychology (and its emphasis on the situation where the person is embedded) is needed now more than ever, in a time of radical dispositionism, social structural transformation, and rapid changes in the ways we live. 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