為什麼發明疫苗來消滅脊髓灰質炎，比控制流感或愛滋病容易？有沒有「語言基因」的自然天擇？為什麼沒有動物長輪子？什麼時候「最大化適應」導致演化滅絕？性別和寄生蟲如何相關？為什麼蛇不吃草？為什麼我們的眼睛不長在腦袋後面？現代基因組學是如何說明和挑戰此一領域的？
Why has it been easier to develop a vaccine to eliminate polio than to control influenza or AIDS? Has there been natural selection for a 'language gene'? Why are there no animals with wheels? When does 'maximizing fitness' lead to evolutionary extinction? How are sex and parasites related? Why don't snakes eat grass? Why don't we have eyes in the back of our heads? How does modern genomics illustrate and challenge the field?
本課程從計算、建模和工程方面來分析演化。在模型建立和分析演化資料方面，這門課有大量的動手實驗。
技術需求
This course analyzes evolution from a computational, modeling, and engineering perspective. The course has extensive hands-on laboratory exercises in model-building and analyzing evolutionary data.
技術需求
需要Java® plug-in software軟體來執行本課程網頁上的Java®檔。需要解壓縮軟體，比如Winzip®或StuffIt®，來打開本課程網頁上的.tar 文件。可以用任何文本編輯軟體，查看本課程網頁上的.fas 和.fasta文件。
Java® plug-in software is required to run the Java® files found on this course site. File decompression software, such as Winzip® or StuffIt®, is required to open the .tar files found on this course site. Any text editor can be used to view the .fas and .fasta files found on this course site.
