Final answer:
The 8th characteristic of evolution highlights that evolution is not a process with a predetermined goal but is driven by adaptations that enhance reproduction in particular environments. These adaptations result from genetic variations and changing environmental conditions, without any specific directionality or aim to improve the species.
Step-by-step explanation:
The 8th characteristic of evolution involves understanding that evolution is not a goal-directed process. Species do not inherently become 'better' over time; rather, they develop adaptations that maximize their reproductive success in specific environments at specific times. These adaptive traits are a function of the genetic variation present within a species and the ever-changing environmental conditions.
Adaptations that are favorable in one environment may become disadvantageous as conditions change, leading to further evolution. The process of evolution, through genetic variation and natural selection, results in the rise of traits that enhance an organism's survival and reproductive output in the given environment. This phenomenon can be observed in both a simple insect species and as complex as the human species.
Evolution elucidates how living organisms manipulate their genetic diversity to adapt, survive, and thrive through generations, embodying the essence of 'survival of the fittest' amidst a non-directional and dynamic natural world.