Evolution is the theory that organisms have developed with their bodies changing over time. New species have evolved appearing extremely different from their predecessors. It is through science that we understand the beauty of evolution and see it with evidence that supports this theory in the fossil record. This is purely scientific. The scientific method was necessary to fully understand and appreciate the process of evolution. The method involved questioning, experimenting and testing a hypothesis which is an idea that has not yet been proven but requires the scientific method to see if it is true or not. When it comes to Earth science, there are questions that need to be answered, and scientific methods help answer these questions with discoveries that aid the process. If a hypothesis (the starting point for an investigation from a proposed explanation based on limited evidence) is tested, a theory begins to develop. A scientific theory is a factual theory and observations are made in the real world and must be falsifiable. However, a theory is simply an idea that has not been observed and is just an "intuition" about something. The theory of evolution has been questioned numerous times as to its truth, which makes it a scientific problem. However, it is an ongoing process and since it happened in the past, there was no one to observe it. With the abundance of evidence in the fossil record and multiple theories, the law of parsimony is very useful as its principle is to select a solution with the fewest assumptions which makes it most accurate and easier to understand. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Scientists are able to communicate their findings and discuss various theories by publishing them in peer-reviewed journals that other scientists can easily access for approval and confirmation, as well as presenting the findings at conferences. Other scientists can then listen to or participate in these conferences. With communication, it allows theories to be more accurate and testable. Such a theory stating that we humans are descended from a common ancestor and with evidence in the fossil record of the horse is compelling to believe that this is indeed true. Descent from a common ancestor (descent with modifications). We all have a common ancestor which obviously can be reconstructed using molecular genetic methods. There is so much evidence to support the fact that we derive from a common ancestor. The evolution of horses is remarkable in that it clearly demonstrates lineage transitions in horses. The horse study was conducted primarily in North America because horses were prevalent there. Teeth are very important here as they are well preserved throughout the fossil record and demonstrate the evolution of horses around 55 million years ago. The pace of this evolution has been slow and rapid at times; nothing that is generally consistent. The horses were tiny compared to modern horses. Eohippus, the first primitive horse documented in fossils, was very small, had 2 premolars and 2 molars with an arched back. It also had padded feet, totally different from today's equines. It also had four hooves on its front legs and three hooves on its hind legs. Due to the characteristics of the skull, this indicates that the brain was much smaller than that of today's horses. In the past horses would have a browser diet due to their teeth (short crown teeth). In the Eocene period there was the evolutionary change of the orohippus which technically had thesame body structure but the premolars and molars were on both sides of the jaw. Then he moved on to the epihippo which had continuous ridges. The mesohippus (after the epihippus), resembled modern horses with longer, thinner legs. In the mesohippo there was a track (there were three toes on both the front and hind legs). Miohippus was the next evolutionary horse that had been divided into two groups. Ancitheres, one of the groups that split from the miohippus, composed of three-toed grazing horses. However, not as important as the parahippus (arising in the early Miocene), which is the key that led to modern horses. This is because their teeth were different from those of their predecessors. It has stronger crests with a very long crown. This was suitable for a lateral movement to chew grass, but not to completely eliminate navigation. Teeth like these developed because grass was spreading across North America and so it needed to adapt to the environment. The complete transition from browser to grazing diet occurred in merychippus. There was a fusion of the bones in their lower leg, which meant they were becoming fast runners. They have acquired strong ligaments and developed a body structure like we see in modern horses for a mechanism that can activate. The Merychippus allowed other lines of horses to evolve and, most importantly, to become the pliohippus. After the pliohippus came the equus. Zebras, donkeys, and other forms of modern equines evolved from pliohippus. In this period, the shape of the spring mechanisms developed even longer and longer teeth for eating. These horses then populated different places in later times. The Przewalski's horse along the Tarpan and Ukranium steppes are known to be the predecessors of domestic horses. Horses play such an important role in understanding evolution by studying its development and changes throughout the earth's history. In this way, it suggests a certain truth about having a common ancestor. It is crucial to learn that, due to environmental changes, they had to adapt to it to survive by genetically modifying some parts of their body (natural selection). Natural selection has been brought about by drastic changes in the environment in which organisms have variation and reproduce differently in genotype. Migration (change in gene frequency as organisms move from a population), mutation, and genetic drift are all part of evolution. A perfect example of natural selection is the peppered moth. There was a genetic mutation that allowed the appearance of dark wings in speckled moths. This allowed the moths to better camouflage themselves on darkened tree trunks (polluted tree trunks) to survive predatory birds. There are beneficial mutations with natural selection that help the organism survive better. Due to environmental changes and natural selection, some organ functions were no longer necessary. These features are known as vestigial structures. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Vestigial structures are features that do not have a function in a species, yet had a purpose in the organism; one of an important function once in the past. They develop into atavisms (lost traits) of a species in the past. Atavisms are genes passed on to offspring that were previously silenced. With various adaptations, some organs and limbs are not needed, otherwise they would be modified to better adapt to the environment. They are rendered useless; however, the trait was passed down to offspring. A typical example would be,.