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How
DNA evolves
Occasionally, there are small errors, or “mutations”,
in the copying process and the DNA code is altered slightly.
Mutations are the ultimate source of variation and novelty
in evolution and we all carry mutations that make us different
from our parents. The vast majority of mutations are harmless;
in fact, some are good! When the child grows up and eventually
has children of his or her own, these mutations will be present
in the DNA passed on to the offspring. In this way, mutations
are preserved in the genetic code passed on from generation
to generation. Over time, these tiny changes accumulate so
that one family line develops a unique genetic code that distinguishes
that lineage from all others.
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