Question

A common criticism of evolution is that selection only produces ______ changes and cannot produce the variety of ______ documented in the fossil record.

Answer 1

Evolution can produce small changes that accumulate and result in the variety of species documented in the fossil record.

Step-by-step explanation:

The common criticism of evolution is that it can only produce small changes and cannot account for the wide variety of fossil records we observe. However, this criticism is based on a misunderstanding of the process of evolution. While the process of mutation, which generates genetic variation, is random, natural selection acts on these variations in a non-random way, favoring traits that improve an organism's ability to survive and reproduce. Over vast spans of time, these small changes can accumulate and result in the diversity of species we see in the fossil record.