The best definition of natural selection is:

Correct answer: A. Survival of the fittest

  • A. Survival of the fittest
  • B. Most fit individuals adapt to their environment better than less fit individuals
  • C. Those who eat better are healthier and live longer are most fit within a population
  • D. Preservation of traits leads to increase survival and reproduction

Explanation

Survival of the fittest is a phrase that was coined by Herbert Spencer, but it was first used by Charles Darwin in his book On the Origin of Species. The phrase refers to the idea that organisms with beneficial traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their traits to their offspring. Over time, this can lead to changes in populations, as the beneficial traits become more common.

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About Evolution

Evolution describes heritable change in populations over generations through variation, natural selection and adaptation. Lamarckism explains inheritance of acquired characteristics, while Darwinism explains selection of favourable inherited variations; these historical explanations must not be confused with the modern genetic account of evolutionary change.

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