Discussion: Mutation and Human Evolution
Just as scientists gather evidence about prehistoric animals by examining bones and fossils, scientists also study human bones and fossils to learn about changes in human populations. In addition, scientists study changes in the human genome to track and understand changes in the human population. As you have learned in previous weeks, the process of meiosis causes genetic variation among offspring. In addition, mutations that occur during meiosis lead to changes in offspring. When these mutations are advantageous for the offspring, they may be passed to further generations. For this weeks Discussion, you explore the evidence scientists have uncovered regarding how mutations in the human genome have led to observable changes in the human population.
To prepare for this Discussion:
    Review Chapter 8, Does Testing Save Lives? in the course text and consider how genetic traits are passed to offspring.
    Review Chapter 11, Where Did We Come From? in the course text and consider the evidence scientists use to support their understanding of human evolution.
    Conduct research on the mutation you selected and evaluate the significance of this mutations role in human evolution.

Post one or more paragraphs evaluating the significance of your selected mutations role in human evolution. Your evaluation should include the following:
    A brief description of the mutation
    A brief explanation of when and how the mutation occurred
    At least two ways in which the human population benefited from the mutation
    Your position on the significance of this mutation in human evolution
    Reference to at least two sources outside the Required Resources
    All references cited in APA format