Algae: Single-celled organisms that were once thought to be plants, but aren’t actually plants. They are aquatic, meaning they grow in water. Like green plants, they depend on sunlight to make food.
ancestor: Ancestor. It can be a family ancestor, such as a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent. Or it can be a species, genus, family, or order of organisms from which later organisms evolved. For example, ancient dinosaurs are the ancestors of today’s birds. (Antonym: descendant)
Bacteria: (singular: bacteria) Single-celled organisms that live almost everywhere on Earth, from the ocean floor to inside other organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth.
BiologistA scientist involved in the study of living things.
Bioluminescent: (noun) Bioluminescence) An adjective describing the light emitted by certain animals such as fireflies, squid, and deep-sea fish, as well as some shallow-water algae.
chemicals: A substance formed by the combination of two or more atoms in a certain ratio and structure. For example, water is a chemical formed by two hydrogen atoms combining with one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H.2O. Chemical can also be used as an adjective to describe the properties of substances that result from various reactions between different compounds.
Chemical reaction: A process that involves a rearrangement of the molecules or structure of a substance rather than a change in physical form (such as from solid to gas).
colleague: A person who works with another person, a colleague or team member.
Coral: A marine animal that often forms a hard, stony exoskeleton (that of a dead ancestral coral) and tends to live on coral reefs.
DNA: (short for deoxyribonucleic acid) A long, double-stranded, spiral-shaped molecule that carries genetic instructions inside most living cells. It is built on a backbone of phosphorus, oxygen, and carbon atoms. In all living organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, these instructions tell the cell which molecules to make.
evolution: (verb evolution) The process by which species change over time, usually through genetic mutation and natural selection. These changes usually result in new types of organisms that are better suited to the environment than previous types. The new types are not necessarily “evolving” but simply better adapted to the particular conditions in which they developed. Alternatively, the term can refer to changes that occur as a natural progression in the inanimate world (for example, computer chips evolving into smaller devices that run faster).
Evolutionary biologistSomeone who studies the adaptive processes that have led to the diversity of life on Earth. These scientists may study a variety of subjects, such as the microbiology and genetics of organisms, how species change to adapt, and the fossil record (to evaluate how different ancient species are related to each other and to their modern relatives).
fossil: Traces or preserved remains of ancient life. There are many different types of fossils. Dinosaur bones and other body parts are called “body fossils”. Things like footprints are called “trace fossils”. Even specimens of dinosaur dung are fossils. The process by which fossils are formed is called fossilization.
genetically: It has to do with chromosomes, DNA, and the genes that DNA contains. The branch of science that deals with these biological instructions is known as genetics. People who work in this field are geneticists.
jelly: (biology) These gelatinous animals drift in water (mostly seawater) or brackish (semi-brackish) estuaries. For over 500 million years, they have moved through the ocean by pulsating water through their jelly-like tissue. Their bodies often have an umbrella-shaped bell and may have many tentacles hanging from around a central mouth. Jellyfish do not have brains, but they do have nervous systems that can sense light, movement, or certain chemicals. Some members of this family, known as Cnidarians, are known as jellyfish. In fact, none are true fish, but are related to hydra and corals.
LifeAll living things, from elephants and plants to bacteria and other single-celled organisms.
Prey: (n.) A species of animal that is eaten by other animals. (v.) To attack and eat other species.
probabilityA mathematical calculation or assessment of the chances of something happening (basically probability).
Ocean: A sea (or an area that is part of a sea). Unlike lakes and rivers, sea water (or ocean water) is salty.
seedA group of similar organisms that can survive and produce offspring that can reproduce.
Characteristic: A characteristic of something. (in genetics) An inherited quality or trait.
Tree of Life: A diagram that uses a branching, tree-like structure to show how organisms are related to each other. The outer twig-like branches represent species living today. The ancestors of present-day species live on the thicker branches closer to the trunk.
Source: www.snexplores.org
