Key Idea.
Section 1
The Mystery of the Poisonous Newt
In a specific population of rough-skinned newts, scientists observed something strange: *the newts became extremely poisonous over time*.
While their ancestors were likely only mildly toxic, the modern population contains enough poison to kill huge predators.
Section 2
Variation Within a Population
A population is a group of the same kind of living thing (species) living in one area. While they look similar, individuals within the group are not identical.
This natural difference is called variation. For instance, even before the population changed, some newts naturally had slightly more poison, while others had less.
Expand to review the lesson summary and core properties.
Section 1
The Mystery of the Poisonous Newt
In a specific population of rough-skinned newts, scientists observed something strange: *the newts became extremely poisonous over time*.
While their ancestors were likely only mildly toxic, the modern population contains enough poison to kill huge predators.
Section 2
Variation Within a Population
A population is a group of the same kind of living thing (species) living in one area. While they look similar, individuals within the group are not identical.
This natural difference is called variation. For instance, even before the population changed, some newts naturally had slightly more poison, while others had less.