AU Student

All life on Earth, from jellyfish to zebra, cactus to butterfly, evolved from the last universal common ancestor (LUCA), which lived around 4 billion years ago. The astonishing diversity of life found in every corner of our planet is all possible thanks to the evolution of species. 

Course Description

All life on Earth, from jellyfish to zebra, cactus to butterfly, evolved from the last universal common ancestor (LUCA), which lived around 4 billion years ago. The astonishing diversity of life found in every corner of our planet is all possible thanks to the evolution of species. At a molecular level, changes in DNA lead to new genes, which, on a larger scale, lead to new traits or abilities, which in turn, can result in entirely new species. This course introduces evolutionary biology, starting with early life and cells, then covering the basics of what genes are, genetic inheritance, speciation, and evolution in action.