Question

Pests have always been a nuisance for farmers. The use of pesticides dramatically improved the success of crops; however, it has been found that some insects are no longer harmed by traditional pesticides. How would Charles Darwin, the man behind the theory of evolution by means of natural selection, explain this phenomenon.
A) Through random mutations in DNA, some pests developed a resistance to the pesticide.


B) The chemicals used in pesticides today are not strong enough to kill unwanted pests.


C) The pesticides used in the past caused unwanted mutations in pests causing them to mutate into superbugs.


D) Through repeated exposure to the pesticides, the pests simply got use to to the chemicals and built up a resistance.

Answer 1

Answer: A

Explanation: Through random mutations in DNA, some pests developed a resistance to the pesticide. Through random mutations in DNA, some pests became resistant to the chemicals. These resistant forms are the ones to survive, reproduce, and pass on their genes.

Answer 2

The basis of the process of Natural selection is the random mutation: some organisms develop random mutations which increase their chance for survival and they survive more likely than other organisms and reproduce. 

So the correct answer is:
A) Through random mutations in DNA, some pests developed a resistance to the pesticide.