Which statement is scientifically based? Mutations rarely occur. All mutations are harmful. Some mutations can be contagious, like infections. Mutations are not passed from parent to offspring.

The only accurate statement here is the first: mutations rarely occur. Mutations are fundamental to evolution, but it may take several generations for even minor mutations to appear. For smaller species such as bacteria or insects, mutations driving evolution may appear relatively rapidly, but within larger animals, sufficient mutations to form a new species may take several thousands of years.