Question

Provide an example of how a genetic mutation could be positive, then explain how that mutation could cause a change in a population over time.

Answer 1

Answer: Some mutations happen during cell division, when DNA gets duplicated. But the mutations we hear about most often are the ones that cause disease. Some well-known inherited genetic disorders include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs disease, phenylketonuria and color-blindness, among many others.

Answer 2

Q1: A genetic mutation can have a positive impact on a species as it can give them an advantage in survival in comparison to its counterpart that does NOT have that same mutation.
Q2: If this mutation has a positive impact on survival rates, it’ll be more common for the ones that have the mutation to reproduce rather than the ones that don’t. As time goes on the majority of the population will have this mutation, possibly changing it completely.