Why Teach Evolution?

Question 1

Name and describe the three hypotheses for the evolution of virulence

Answer 1

Coincidental evolution hypothesis
Shortsighted evolution hypothesis
Trade-off hypothesis

Question 2

virulence = accidental by-product of selection on other
traits

Answer 2

Coincidental evolution hypothesis

Question 3

traits that enhance w/in-host fitness of the pathogen strains may rise to frequency even if they’re detrimental to transmission to another host

Answer 3

Shortsighted evolution hypothesis

Question 4

Strain can be virulent but still increase in frequency if, in the process of killing its host, it increases its chances of being transmitted

Answer 4

Trade-off hypothesis

Question 5

Consider what you learned from this course, and how you can apply these learning outcomes to your life as a scientist

Answer 5

It enables us to speak out against abuses of science. The naturalistic fallacy has been used an argument for the oppression of women & homophobia. Most important to me is the conservation of our environment.

Question 6

Understand how scientists traced the origin & modeled the spread of the novel coronavirus, including using phylogenies

Answer 6

Sequence viral genomes and put them in a phylogenetic model.