Natural Science 0241 - Evolutionary Biology

The concept of biological evolution pre-dates Darwin. However, when Darwin presented a provocative mechanism by which evolution works (i.e., natural selection), he catapulted an idea to the forefront of biology that has precipitated over 150 years of research into the nature and origin of organic diversity. This course will serve as an introduction to the science of evolutionary biology. Additionally, we will take a historical look at the development of evolution as a concept and how it has led to the Modern Synthesis in biology and modern research in Evolutionary Biology. We will also investigate how Darwin's "dangerous idea" has infiltrated different areas of biology and beyond. To look forward beyond Hampshire's 50th year, we will also run an experiment to "evolve" the concept of "What is Hampshire".

Physical and Biological Sciences Independent Work Quantitative Skills Writing and Research Students are generally expected tp spend at least 6-8 hours per week on preparation and work outside of class time.