Lesson Summary: Evo in the news: Ghosts of epidemics past

Lesson summary for... Evo in the news: Ghosts of epidemics past Author/Source: UC Museum of Paleontology

Overview:	HIV and malaria both constitute global health threats, respectively affecting more than 30 million and 200 million people worldwide. This news brief from October 2008 describes new research that reveals an unexpected evolutionary link between the two.
Concepts:	This lesson covers the following concepts: Not every feature of an organism is an adaptation, but features often reflect their evolutionary history. Evolution results from selection acting upon genetic variation within a population. Mutations are random, but selection is not; selection is dependent on many factors. Depending on environmental conditions, inherited characteristics may be advantageous, neutral, or detrimental. Natural selection acts on individuals and populations in a nonrandom way. As with other scientific disciplines, evolutionary biology has applications that factor into everyday life.
Grade Level:	9-12
Time:	20 minutes
Teacher Background:	Explore these links for additional information on the topics covered in this lesson: Genetic Variation Natural Selection Relevance
Teaching Tips:	This article includes a set of discussion and extension questions for use in class. It also includes hints about related lessons that might be used in conjunction with this one. This example could be easily integrated into instruction on basic selection, particularly as a supplement to discussion of the classic sickle cell anemia example.