Evolution Definition and 692 Threads

  1. V

    Graduate Superwind phase in stellar evolution

    why is there very rapid mass loss in the superwind phase. my notes simply say "because the envelope attains positive binding energy". Firstly, how can binding energy be positive by definition?! Secondly, I am not entirely sure what the lecturer is talking about? what makes the envelope...
  2. V

    Graduate Stellar Evolution: After Hydrogen Exhaustion

    why after hydrogen exhaustion (of low mass stars) does the the core become isothermal. (according to my notes) I mean, after exhaustion, its all helium, and it keeps on contracting right? So by the virial therem it must heat up (so by definition, it is NOT isothermal)! Indeed it must do so...
  3. W

    Graduate Is a squeezed state keeping as a squeezed state in its evolution?

    we well know that, a coherent state keeps to be a coherent state in its evolution does similar conclusion hold for a squeezed state?
  4. D

    Graduate Causal Evolution of Wave Function and Gravity

    I read in my textbook that the wavefunction of a particle evolves causally when unobserved. but isn't it constantly being observed or detected in some sense by its gravitational effects?
  5. M

    Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions

    Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions The following myths are debunked: - Everything is an adaptation produced by natural selection - Natural selection is the only means of evolution - Natural selection leads to ever-greater complexity - Evolution produces creatures perfectly...
  6. DaveC426913

    How Quickly Can Evolution Change a Species' Physical Characteristics?

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080417112433.htm In 1971, biologists moved five adult pairs of Italian wall lizards from their home island of Pod Kopiste, in the South Adriatic Sea, to the neighboring island of Pod Mrcaru. “Striking differences in head size and shape...
  7. JK423

    Solve Evolution Operator: <J|U|E>=Exp[-iEt/h]*<J|E>??

    [SOLVED] Evolution Operator If U=Exp[-iHt/h] is the evolution operator, and H the hamiltonian one, i can't figure out how to derive the following equation. Let`s call |E> an eigenstate of H, E it`s eigenvalue and |J> a random basis. Then: <J|U|E>=Exp[-iEt/h]*<J|E>. ??
  8. A

    Graduate Time evolution and the Dirac Equation

    I have a question about the Dirac Equation. I know that if I have a given initial state in non-relativistic quantum mechanics, I can find the Fourier coefficients using that state, and then write down the wavefunction for any time. But if I have an initial state wavefunction (that is, the...
  9. Simfish

    Graduate Stellar Evolution: Pathways & Perturbations

    stellar evolution pathways...? I find this especially interesting since the trajectories of stars on the HR diagram are more or less based on this assumption. But obviously, small perturbations can lead to major changes in the long-run. But it seems that most of those changes involve only...
  10. 1

    Can dog breeding truly be considered evolution?

    I want to clairfy something: Is it true that without DNA mutations it would be impossible to start with a population of x wild wolfs and breed a chihuahua, or poodle? Lets say your only goal is to start with a very large population of wolfs who on average weigh 100 lbs, your goal is to create a...
  11. E

    News The Republican Candidates and Evolution

    In case you haven't already heard, when the Republican Candidates were asked, "Who doesn't believe in evolution?" 3 of them raised their hand. If you didn't see it, I attached the clip below...
  12. O

    Is Evolution Universally Driven by Self-Perpetuating Processes?

    How does evolution work? It seems that evolution has determined many of the circumstances of the world we find ourselves in. Here are a few examples: (1) Cosmologists tell us that our present astronomical universe --- a conglomeration of planets, stars and clustered galaxies, together with...
  13. P

    Evolution in a Bottle: Can Artificial Environments Create New Species?

    Is there any reason that evolution can't take place in an artificial environment? I contend that, just as hybrid swarms of plants in Nature can stabilize into new species, the process of prolonged hybridization can artificially create new species. I have been told that these hothouse plants...
  14. N

    Calculate time evolution of Schrodinger wave equation

    [SOLVED] Calculate time evolution of Schrödinger wave equation Homework Statement At time t=0 particle is in state: \psi\left(x\right)=\sqrt{2}A\phi_{1}(x)+\frac{A}{\sqrt{2}}\phi_{2}(x)+A\phi_{3}(x) where \phi_{n}(x) are eigenfunctions of 1-D infinite potential well. a) Normalize...
  15. D

    Evolution of blood clotting mechanism

    I'm currently reading this article by Ken Miller on a plausible account of how the blood clotting mechanism in vertebrates might have evolved. There's some things I don't understand but which I hope someone here will explain to me: Here's the article...
  16. M

    What is the relationship between evolution, statistics, and social engineering?

    Let me preface this by saying that economist Gregory Clark argues in "A Farewell To Alms" that one of the factors for the success of the industrial revolution was evolutionary in nature: disease killed off poorer members of the society and their position was taken over by sons of the wealthy who...
  17. Z

    Graduate Galaxies in filaments; a different evolution?

    Might galaxies in filaments http://pil.phys.uniroma1.it/twiki/bin/view/Pil/GalaxyStructures" for spirals? An extented flattened curve means more DM further out; the original discovery route of DM.
  18. M

    Time evolution of spherical harmonics

    Homework Statement At t=0, a given wavefunction is: \left\langle\theta,\phi|\psi(0)\right\rangle = \frac{\imath}{\sqrt{2}}(Y_{1,1}+Y_{1,-1}) Find \left\langle\theta,\phi|\psi(t)\right\rangle. Homework Equations \hat{U}(t)\left|\psi(0)\right\rangle =...
  19. vincentm

    News Evolution Vs. Intelligent Design in Florida

    http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/12/evolution-battl.html Why? :confused: They had their butts kicked in Dover, PA. And have been proven wrong, that ID is not a science. So why do they persist?
  20. E

    Graduate Evolution Function: A Clue to Understanding Self-Similarity

    I am reading a paper about self-similar.but this concept,evolution function,really troubled me.and i have seached wiki,but it didn't work.can anyone explain it wisely or provide a clue about it.
  21. L

    New Finding Challenges History of Evolution

    I got this link from someone: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/10-27-2004-60892.asp I'm suspicious as no other science website has this as a main story, and it's strangely under the "editorial" directory. Give me your thoughts. Fact or fiction?
  22. C

    Given the initial state, Ican find the time evolution wave function right?

    Homework Statement At t=0, the particle is in the eigenstate S_x , which corresponds to the eigenvalues -\hbar \over 2 The particle is in a magnetic field and its Hamiltonian is H=\frac{eB}{mc}S_z . Find the state at t>0. Homework Equations Eigenstate of the Sx is...
  23. T

    How will the tragedy of the HIV epidemic effect human evolution?

    I believe I read the Black Death or Black Plague that effected Europe created a noticeable genetic bottlenecking in Europeans. HIV is still relatively new, but has anyone heard or have any ideas how HIV may effect human genetics and culture?
  24. D

    How Does a New Species Reproduce After Macro-Evolution?

    Okay I have a question. In micro-evolution, traits change among the same species, enough of these changes leads to macro-evolution. What is macro-evolution other than a different name and a series of small changes? A change big enough so that the new organism is no longer of the same species...
  25. DaveC426913

    Darwin vs. Evolution: An Overview of Theories & Myths

    I've just finished reading Darwin's Origin of Species - A Biography and I realize I'm not much closer to understanding the subtleties of evolutionary theory. At least, I think I'm not. What Darwin brought to the world, while it rocked the foundations of biology, was not his alone. The concept of...
  26. M

    Epidemic models which incorporate disease evolution

    I was wondering if anyone knew anything about epidemic models which take into account the ability of a disease to mutate. Basically I’m curious if there are any existing models which could predict how a rapidly changing disease might affect the progression of an epidemic, or how slower...
  27. A

    Evolution Qs: How Would We Evolve Physically & Mentally?

    This is a very general set of questions but sincere the same. If humans evolve to become telepathic, how would we have enough self control not to speak our private thoughts or accidentally insult others? Assuming we did gain enough self control during our evolution, what about the mentally...
  28. P

    Discover the Evidence for Evolution: Recommended Books and Articles

    can anyone recommend any good books or online articles that cover all the evidence in favor of evolution? I found this so far: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/ it seems very long and detailed, considering I have very little background in biology. Is it a good site, nonetheless?
  29. J

    Graduate Help Historical evolution of understanding of SR

    I realize that the understanding of physics and the perferred description or mathematical representation of our understanding evolves over time. So I have a feeling that the answer to my question is strongly a mix of history and physics. Please, when at all possible add some of the historical...
  30. S

    Can Evolution Explain Increasing Complexity in Life?

    Personally i don't think evolution is stupid. I was watching a documentary with this title out of interest. You can watch the full documentary here: h**p://tv-links.co.uk/video/9/5566/8296/53218/76984# (If you copy and paste the link and replace the *s with ts it should work, if not...
  31. D

    Why is the tendency towards complexity a fundamental aspect of evolution?

    Dear Zapper, I have read about evolution and agree with its explanations, atleast to the most part. My question is a bit deeper than the pressures of the environment. The universe is made up of all these tiny "particles" (lets keep the wave nature aside for the moment) and they formed atoms...
  32. V

    Evolution chooses for life to die

    why doesn't life choose to keep living - is evolution stupid or crazy in that case? All life promotes its own kind by reproduction. Life is designed or has chosen to reinforce its existence so that it will continue. It is a mandatory priority for life to continue its existence. Why...
  33. E

    Time Evolution of the Gaussian packet

    Homework Statement Can someone give me a general idea (I do not need and probably will not understand the rigorous mathematics) of how you can use the propagator equation \psi(x,t) = \int{U(x,t;x',t')\psi(x',t')dx'}, the equation for a Gaussian wave packet, \psi(x',0)= e^{i p_0...
  34. I

    Does evolution gradually slow down as niches are filled?

    I have no education in biology, nor am I going to get it, so this is just out of curiosity: as life fills the Earth and develops into more advanced forms, filling up the different niches - does evolution slow down because of "lack of room"?
  35. T

    Evolution -How many times did life begin on earth

    I get the impression that all life on earth, including extinct life, goes back to the same single common source. Is this the general view? Or could life have started out independantly at different times and/or places. If so is there any evidence? Tony
  36. baywax

    Altruism, Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts, Evolution of Cooperation

    Inspired by a book review of: The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation by Matt Ridley Ridley suggests that altruism is instinctual. Cooperation and even self-sacrifice appear to Ridley to have evolved out of a need for and the instinct of survival of the species...
  37. P

    No Evidence of Human Evolution in 30,000 Years

    They have not found any major evolution is humans for nearly 30,000 years... I know it is a very slow process but 30,000 years is not enough for a little some thing to happen so we can prove that evolution is real?
  38. P

    Undergrad Publications on the evolution of stars?

    Publications on the evolution of stars? Can anyone suggest a book that goes into detail on the evolution stars? I very much enjoyed as much as was discussed in Kip Thorne's Black Holes book and would like to read more about stars.
  39. S

    Did kissing evolve from grooming behavior in apes?

    I have read before that grooming a mate evolved among the apes as a means of showing affection. All of the great apes existing today (with the exception of humans) include eating insects off of each other as part of grooming ritual. I wonder if kissing is the homo-sapien substitute for eating...
  40. V

    High School What colors represent different stages of a star's life cycle?

    Hello I am a student in high school and my physics teacher is a complete idiot. He just gave us a project to draw the life cycle of stars without even teaching the class. I am completely lost. Can someone help me draw the life cycle of stars that includes small: G-yellow K-orange...
  41. L

    Can evolution theory work from a plan over generations ?

    Can evolution theory work from a "plan" over generations ? I saw something rather interresting on TV one day, I believe it was National Geographic. or something like that. The TV program was about the historical evolution and development to animals living in the sea to then develop lunghs...
  42. D

    Graduate Help with paper on gradient descent evolution of surfaces

    Hi all, I'm trying to understand someone's PhD thesis on the topic of variational surface evolution and its application in computer vision, and I'm having trouble working out how he evaluates some particular types of expressions involving the gradient. I think it'll be easier if I specify the...
  43. S

    Graduate What is the role of time evolution in the behavior of different types of waves?

    What is time evolution? Is it a term only applicabe to matter waves or does it apply to other waves as well?
  44. V

    Graduate What are the Detailed Steps and Mechanisms of Stellar Evolution?

    I am new to astronomy, though really interested in it Just read up on stellar evolution from multiple sources, but have some questions about it Let me summarize the theory of stellar evolution 1. gas clouds collapse due to multiple mechanisms, e.g. shock wave, collision of clouds... 2. the...
  45. J

    Graduate Evolution of pressure in navier stokes

    Hello, I haven't studied PDEs much yet, but checked out what the Navier Stokes equations are. I think I understood meaning of the terms in Navier Stokes equations, and what is their purpose in defining the time evolution of velocity of the fluid, but I couldn't see any conditions for the...
  46. A

    Evolution & Physics: Role in Study of Biology

    Here's a question that some of the biology people might be able to answer. What role does physics play in the study of evolutionary biology? When I was in college last year, a physics professor once came to my seminar class to give a talk on the role of physics in evolutionary biology...
  47. moe darklight

    A good place to read on the evolution of organs

    Hi, (I think I started a thread similar to this earlier) I was wondering if anyone knows of any good websites or books or DVD's that focus on the evolution of organs and organ systems. That is, the point at which a group of cells stopped being a "blob" and started differentiating into organs...
  48. B

    Undergrad Inflation (The evolution of the Universe)

    Hello! I wanted to ask about the possible inflation era when considering the Big Bang model. Can someone explain me carefully but quite briefly what this inflation was? Thanks :)
  49. S

    More discussion on evolution and abiogenesis

    Science has no idea of the mechanism. All that will be said is that it just happened and because it did there was life, which continued. There is no explanation beyond that. Of course there are other explanations outside science which account for this issue, which I believe, but I cannot talk...
  50. N

    Pop. Books on Evolution and Genetics

    Probably on the list of top 5 interesting (science) topics, of which I know next to nothing. Okay, natural selection, survival of the fittest and all that, but I'd like to have a better understanding, at least at the level of a layman. My last biology class was in school, about 7 years ago...