Texas A&M University
Eco Systems: Story Time: Stephen Jay Gould
See how Stephen Jay Gould's early interest in baseball influenced his thought process as a scientist.
Other
Prehistoric Planet: Rock Layers: Timeline of Life on Earth
Offers an easy to understand explanation of the earth's layers and the fossils we find in each layer. It explains how these are interpreted by scientists to represent the evolution of animal and plant life through the geological eras.
Open Curriculum
Open Curriculum: Studying the History of Life
This in-depth article illustrates the concept of geologic time, and helps the learner understand why fossils are rare.
Scientific American
Scientific American: Oldest Member of the Human Family
This article, published by Scientific American (July 11, 2002), highlights the discovery of a nearly complete skull of the oldest and most primitive member of the human family known yet. This fossil, found in central Africa, contains a...
University of Washington
University of Washington: The Great Rift Valley of Eastern Africa
An overview of the Great Rift Valley complete with a discussion of the plate tectonics, volcanoes, and climate of the valley. Of particular interest is the section on Apekind to Mankind: Human Evolution in the Great Rift Valley. Reasons...
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Species, Speciation and the Environment
The American Institute of Biological Sciences offers this article by Niles Eldredge, evolutionary theorist and curator at the American Museum of Natural History. Eldredge begins with Darwin's theories and summarizes subsequent thought,...
American Institute of Biological Sciences
Action Bioscience: Evidence of Evolutionary Transitions
Charles Darwin's theory that all living organisms are connected in some way has been confirmed through intense studies over centuries. Understand the similarities that bond all things living to the same family tree by checking out this...
PBS
Pbs News Hour Extra: Scientists Discover Oldest Human Ancestor
Scientists have recently published their research into fossil bones from Ethiopia that they say came from an ancestor common to both humans and chimpanzees. They have named the ancestor Ardipithecus ramidus. In the articles and video,...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Homo Habilis
This resource provides graphics, as well as explanation, of the remains of Homo habilis.
BBC
Bbc: Science and Nature: The Day We Learned to Think
A summary of BBC program entitled, "The Day We Learned to Think." Offers a brief look at man's first works of art, early ability to speak, and evolution of intelligence. Offers questions and answers, a program transcript, and various...
Talk Origins Archive
Talk Origins: Homo Floresiensis: The Hobbit
Article discusses the find in 2003 of fossils that are thought to be a dwarf human species. Please note that there are creationist responses listed as well as rebuttals.
Society for Science and the Public
Science News for Students: Shoulder Bones Fuel Debate
A shoulder blade was recently discovered that belonged to a 3-year-old humanlike female who lived more than 3 million years ago. Scientists are studying the fossil to learn whether the creature climbed trees.
Other
Fossil Museum: Paleobiology
This table is an overview of the appearance and extinction of major groups of organisms through geologic time.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Activity: The Voyage of the Beagle
In this activity, you'll learn how to interpret images and maps in order to extract information about Darwin's trip to the Galapagos Islands. Links provided for a gallery of images and a worksheet.
University of California
Ucmp: Flatworms, Life in Two Dimensions
A discussion of the fossilized Platyhelminthes that have been found, and offers several different strategies as to how they evolved.
University of Kentucky
Kentucky Geological Survey: How Is Coal Formed?
Describes the evolution of dead plant matter into coal.
The Field Museum
Field Museum: Exhibits: Evolving Planet: Cambrian and Ordovician
This comprehensive exhibit provides a basic overview of the period, an image gallery of ancient ocean life, a look at the development of skeletons, and the emergence of animals with backbones. View an interesting video on how to become a...
Curated OER
The Virtual Fossil Museum: Fossils Across Geological Time and Evolution
Picture of the fossil Leanchoilia superlata from the Phylum Arthropoda recovered from Burgess Shale.
PBS
Pbs Teachers:how Did Humans Evolve?
Explore paleoanthropology by going on a virtual "dig" to answer questions about famous fossil finds. Explain how alternate hominid family trees result from different interpretations of the same fossil evidence.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Punctuated Equilibrium
This brief explanation of punctuated equilibrium includes paragraphs on the history of the theory and the controversy surrounding it.
Other
Cincinnati Museum Center
This site describes the Museum of Natural History and Science in detail and provides links to other programs and exhibits offered.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: Zoom Dinosaurs
Zoom Dinosaurs is a comprehensive on-line hypertext book about dinosaurs. It is designed for students of all ages and levels of comprehension. It has an easy-to-use structure that allows readers to start at a basic level on each topic,...
Other
Utct Digi Morph: Digital Morphology the University of Texas
A dynamic archive of information on digital morphology and high-resolution X-ray computed tomography of biological specimens.
Famous Scientists
Famous Scientists: Charles Lyell
Learn about the works of Charles Lyell, a geologist who studied Earth's history.