Evobots Studying Evolution Using Lego Robots

EvobotsStudying Evolution Using Lego Robots

Natural Selection Natural selection is a process that

causes heritable alleles that are helpful for survival and reproduction to become more common, and harmful alleles to become more rare.

This occurs because organisms with “better” alleles pass on more copies of these heritable traits to the next generation

Adaptations Adaptations are the characteristics

that give individuals better chances of surviving and or reproducing.

Car #1

What is this car adapted for?

Car #1

Adapted for s p e e d

Car #1

Adapted for s p e e d

This Pronghorn Antelope is also adapted for speed.

Car #2

What is this car adapted for?

Car #2

Adapted for CLIMBING

Car #2

Adapted for CLIMBING

This big horned sheep is also adapted for climbing.

Car #3

What is this vehicle adapted for?

Car #3

Adapted for water and land-- amphibious

Car #3

Adapted for water and land-- amphibious

This tiger salamander is also adapted for a life in both land and water.

Car #4

What is this vehicle adapted for?

Car #4

Adapted for safety and protection

Car #4

Adapted for safety and protection

This desert tortoise is also adapted for safety and protection.

Car #5

What is this vehicle adapted for?

Car #5

Adapted as a generalist. It’s good at a lot of things but not great at any.

Car #5

Adapted as a generalist

(speed, protection, climbing…)

This coyote is also a generalist. It is medium speed, ok at climbing…

Car #6

Toyota Prius (Hybrid)

Car #6

Adapted to use less resources

Toyota Prius (Hybrid)

Car #6

Adapted to use less resources

This kangaroo rat also survives with few resources.

Toyota Prius (Hybrid)

The Ancestral State This is a photo of

the first car, a Model-T Ford.

All the cars we just looked at evolved from this original

The Ancestral State All the cars have

a common ancestor but are now adapted for different environments.

Notice how the Toyota Prius evolved from the Toyota Camry. This is a more recent ancestor for the Prius.

A Tale of Intermediate Forms When looking at a 1909 Model-T Ford

and a 2010 Ford Mustang it is hard to see how we got from one to the other– they look so different.

?

A Tale of Intermediate Forms However, if we look at the history of

cars, we get a better picture

1909 1920

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909

1920 1927

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920

1927 1932

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927

1932 1938

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927 1932

1938 1948

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948

1952 1960

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952

1960 1964

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960

1964 1968

A Tale of Intermediate Forms1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960

1968 1975

1964

A Tale of Intermediate Forms

1975 1985

1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960 1964 1968

A Tale of Intermediate Forms

1975

1985

1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960 1964 1968

1995

A Tale of Intermediate Forms

1975 1985

1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960 1964 1968

1995 2005

A Tale of Intermediate Forms

1975 1985

1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960 1964 1968

1995

20102005

A Tale of Intermediate Forms

1975 1985

1909 1920 1927 1932 1938

1948 1952 1960 1964 1968

1995 20102005

Evobot Lesson Together we will all build an ancestral state. Then, you will have 30 minutes to develop a

Evobot to compete in a specific environment.

Environments Flats (The fastest evobot has the

advantage) Mountains (The evobot that can

climb the steepest hill has the advantage)

Environments

Founder (The evobot that is completed first has an advantage)

Desert (The evobot that uses the least legos or resources gains an advantage)

Reproduction (The best looking evobot and the weirdest looking evobot gain an advantage)