Some organisms that are alive today do not look exactly like organisms that lived in the past. However, if a comparison of DNA s
amples from two organisms that differ in appearance reveals that the organisms are nearly genetically identical, the samples may be used as evidence for : A. The big bang theory, or the theory that life began as a clump of matter that exploded outwards. B.Atomic theory, or the theory that atoms are the most basic units of matter. C.The theory of evolution, or the theory that characteristics of populations can change over time. D.Cell theory, or the theory that cells are the most basic units of life.
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the past.
Fossils are important evidence for evolution because they show that life on earth was once different from life found on earth today.
Usually only a portion of an organism is preserved as a fossil, such as body fossils (bones and exoskeletons ), trace fossils (feces and footprints), and chemofossils (biochemical signals).
Paleontologists can determine the age of fossils using methods like radiometric dating and categorize them to determine the evolutionary relationships between organisms.
