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Evolution Today
  • Level Foundation
  • المدة 20 ساعات hours
  • الطبع بواسطة Universiteit Leiden
  • Offered by

عن

In this course you will learn how evolution works. You will develop an understanding of evolutionary processes and their formative power. You will see how evolution has shaped biodiversity, and continuously influences our daily life. Evolution impacts human endeavors as varied as medicine, agriculture, psychology, economy, and culture. It is the major unifying principle for biology and a fundamental natural law. In five weeks we will make evolution accessible for you and help you to recognize evolutionary processes around you, in nature as well as in society. We make use of the unique collection of Naturalis, the natural history museum in Leiden, but also take you to the field. Using classical and up-to-date examples, we will show you how scientists address evolutionary questions. In the last module, we will have a look at the future. How will humans evolve? And how do we influence our own evolution and that of other organisms? This course is aimed at anybody with a drive to obtain a deeper, broader, and pragmatic understanding of evolution, including high-school students, BSc (undergraduate) biology students, MSc (graduate) students from other disciplines, medical professionals, conservation officers and educators in museums, libraries, national parks, and schools.

الوحدات

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Plugin
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Introduce yourself

1 Videos

  • How to succeed in your online class?

1 Readings

  • Meet the instructors & the team

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction

Natural Selection: the theory

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Natural Selection

1 Videos

  • Natural Selection

1 Readings

  • Evolution is Everywhere

Natural Selection in the Field

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Natural Selection in the Field

1 Videos

  • Natural Selection in the Field

2 Readings

  • Observe it with your own eyes!
  • Online lab simulated evolution

Human Evolution

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Human Evolution

1 Videos

  • Dialogue

1 Readings

  • Eyes, HIV and Human Body Height

Sexual Selection

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Sexual Selection

1 Videos

  • Sexual selection

1 Readings

  • Science evolves

Discussion

    • 4 Discussion
Show info about module content

4 Discussions

  • Let's talk about human evolution
  • Let's talk about muscles
  • Let's talk about our heads
  • Let's talk about human evolution in general

Concluding the week

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction

DNA and mutations

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • E-tivity: translating a short human gene
  • E-tivity: mutations in human genes

3 Videos

  • DNA
  • Mutation
  • Dialogue

1 Readings

  • Imperfect weasels

Evo-devo

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • E-tivity: playing with Hox-genes

1 Videos

  • Evo-devo

1 Readings

  • Gene Switches

Concluding the week

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • Introduction

The hierarchical organization of life

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Units of Selection

1 Videos

  • Levels of Organization

1 Readings

  • The false allure of group selection by Steven Pinker

(Ultra)selfish units of selection

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • The Good of the Species

1 Videos

  • Selfish Units

2 Readings

  • Distinguishing between Selfish DNA and The Selfish Gene
  • Selfish cells

Suppressing selfishness

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Single Round Prisoner's Dilemma
  • Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma

1 Videos

  • Supressing Selfishness

1 Readings

  • Video lecture on behavioral evolution by Robert Sapolsky

Promoting collaboration

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Hamilton's rule

1 Videos

  • Promoting Collaboration

1 Readings

  • Green beards and eusociality in the Red Imported Fire Ant

Concluding the week

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge

1 Videos

  • Discussion

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Similarity and relatedness

1 Videos

  • Introduction

Contingencies

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Discussion
Show info about module content

1 Discussions

  • Can humans evolve better eyes?

1 Videos

  • Contingencies

Trade-offs

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Discussion
Show info about module content

2 Discussions

  • Can you think of other trade-offs?
  • Trade-offs and sex in bedbugs

1 Videos

  • Trade-offs and Compromises

Evolutionary inertia

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • "Living fossils" and evolutionary inertia

1 Videos

  • Evolutionary Inertia

1 Readings

  • Interview with Dr. Paul Ewald

Concluding the week

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge

Maladaptation

    • 1 PeerReview
Show info about module content

1 Peer Review

  • Maladaptation

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • How will we change?

The future of humans

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Selection in humans today

1 Discussions

  • Sexual selection in humans today

1 Videos

  • The Future Evolution of Humans

1 Readings

  • Current evolution in humans

HIREC: Human-Induced Rapid Evolutionary Change

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Cities and caves

1 Discussions

  • Evolutionary rescue and "evolvability"

1 Videos

  • Human-Induced Rapid Evolutionary Change (HIREC)

1 Readings

  • Videos on fast evolution in guppy fish

Novel ecosystems

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Tele-coupling

1 Videos

  • Novel Ecosystems

1 Readings

  • Op-ed on novel ecosystems from the New York Times

Evolutionary thinking

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Test your knowledge

1 Discussions

  • Cancer cells adapting

1 Videos

  • Evolutionary Thinking

1 Readings

  • An evolutionary computer game ("Niche")

Concluding the course

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Final Exam of the Course

Field work

    • 1 PeerReview
Show info about module content

1 Peer Review

  • Discover HIREC where you live

Auto Summary

Embark on a fascinating journey with "Evolution Today," a comprehensive course designed to unravel the intricate mechanisms of evolution and its profound impact on the world around us. This engaging program delves into the evolutionary processes that have shaped biodiversity and continue to influence various aspects of human life, including medicine, agriculture, psychology, economy, and culture. Over the span of five weeks, you will explore how evolution serves as a unifying principle in biology and a fundamental natural law. Leveraging the remarkable resources of Naturalis, the natural history museum in Leiden, along with immersive field experiences, the course offers classical and contemporary examples to illustrate how scientists tackle evolutionary questions. The final module provides a forward-looking perspective on human evolution and our influence on the evolution of other organisms. Ideal for a diverse audience, this foundational course caters to high-school students, undergraduate and graduate students, medical professionals, conservation officers, and educators in various settings such as museums, libraries, national parks, and schools. Offered through Coursera, "Evolution Today" fits into two subscription models—Starter and Professional—ensuring flexible access to this enriching educational experience. Join us to gain a deeper, pragmatic understanding of the evolutionary processes shaping our world.

Menno Schilthuizen
Instructors

Menno Schilthuizen

Maurijn van der Zee
Instructors

Maurijn van der Zee

Rutger Vos
Instructors

Rutger Vos