The Making of the Fittest: Natural Selection in Humans

Topic

Resource Type

Level

High School — General High School — AP/IB College

Duration

00:14:03

Saved By

69 Users

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Description

This film has been archived while we produce a more up-to-date version. We are hoping the new film will be available by the end of 2023.

This film explores the evolutionary connection between an infectious disease, malaria, and a genetic condition, sickle cell anemia.

Tony Allison first noticed a connection between malaria and the sickle cell trait while working in East Africa in the 1950s. The story of his discovery stands as one of the best understood examples of natural selection in humans in which the selective agent, adaptive mutation, and molecule involved are all known. The protection against malaria provided by the sickle cell mutation demonstrates how evolution does not necessarily result in optimal solutions for the species but proceeds in response to selective pressures by utilizing what variation is available.

The “Abbreviated Film Guide” provides a short summary of the film, along with key concepts and connections to curriculum standards.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Key Terms

adaptation, Africa, allele, balancing selection, hemoglobin, heterozygote advantage, malaria, mutation, sickle cell

Primary Literature

Allison, Anthony C. “The Discovery of Resistance to Malaria of Sickle-Cell Heterozygotes.” Mini-Series: Significant Contributions to Biological Chemistry over the Past 125 Years. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education 30, no. 5 (2002): 279‒287.

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Version History

Date Published 10.12.11

Date Updated 05.14.20

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS1.A, HS-LS3.A, HS-LS3.B, HS-LS4.C

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1, IST-1, IST-2, IST-4

IB Biology (2016)

4.1, 4.3, 5.4, D.2

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC2

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1-Minute Tips

Mendelian Genetics, Sickle Cell, and Human Evolution

Bob Kuhn describes two BioInteractive resources focused on human evolution and Mendelian genetics. The short film "Natural Selection in Humans" describes the discovery of the genetic basis of sickle cell disease — an example of recent human evolution.

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