Glossary Swiss

Afarensis: Australopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid which lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. In common with the younger Australopithecus.Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afarensis

Ancestor: Any organism, population, or species from which some other organism, population, or species is descended by reproduction.Source: www.phylo.org/sub_sections/outreach/outreach_files/glossary.doc

Astrochemistry: (1)the study of the chemical elements found in outer space, generally on larger scales than the Solar System, particularly in molecular gas clouds, and the study of their formation, interaction and destruction. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrochemistry
(2)The branch of science that explores the chemical interactions between dust and gas interspersed between the stars.Source: www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy_glossary.html

Creationism: is the religious belief that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe were created in their original form by a deity.Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_theory

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses.
Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA
Evolution: development. A process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage) (2) (biology) the sequence of events involved in the evolutionary development of a species or taxonomic group of organisms.
Source: wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
Mutation: any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism Source: wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

Panspermia: The hypothesis that life on Earth originated from microorganisms from outer space. Source: en.wiktionary.org/wiki/panspermia


Species: grouping of individuals that interbreed successfully to produce more of the same species.
Source: reptileguides.herpcenter.com/showthread.php


Speciation: the process by which one or more populations of a species become genetically different enough to form a new species.Source: www.pbs.org/strangedays/glossary/S.html