Which scenario is the most likely to result in natural selection that leads to adaptive evolution in a population of humans?

a. Mortality due to heart disease increases to 80% in middle-aged Americans.

b. Individuals colonize another planet and become isolated from earth.

c. A new influenza strain becomes an epidemic and kills all individuals over age 50.

d. Individuals in Australia only reproduce by random mating.

e. A tsunami kills hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia.

Question

Jaylon Clayton

Social Studies

4 December, 15:33

Which scenario is the most likely to result in natural selection that leads to adaptive evolution in a population of humans?

a. Mortality due to heart disease increases to 80% in middle-aged Americans.

b. Individuals colonize another planet and become isolated from earth.

c. A new influenza strain becomes an epidemic and kills all individuals over age 50.

d. Individuals in Australia only reproduce by random mating.

e. A tsunami kills hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia.

+4

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Hana Keith · Answer 1

b. Individuals colonize another planet and become isolated from earth.

Explanation:

Natural selection is a theory by Charles Darwin which states that organisms best adapted to an environment are more likely to survive and pass that adaptation to their offspring. When individuals colonize a new planet and are isolated from Earth, those that best adapt to the new planet will likely survive and pass the adaptation to their offspring according to natural selection theory.