LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Mutations can be harmful, neutral, or sometimes helpful, resulting in a new, advantageous trait. When mutations occur in germ cells (eggs and sperm), they can be passed on to offspring. If the environment changes rapidly, some species may not be able to adapt fast enough through natural selection.

Detailed explanation-2: -Genetic variations can arise from gene variants (also called mutations) or from a normal process in which genetic material is rearranged as a cell is getting ready to divide (known as genetic recombination). Genetic variations that alter gene activity or protein function can introduce different traits in an organism.

Detailed explanation-3: -The mechanisms of evolution-like natural selection and genetic drift-work with the random variation generated by mutation. Factors in the environment are thought to influence the rate of mutation but are not generally thought to influence the direction of mutation.

Detailed explanation-4: -Mutations can be caused by high-energy sources such as radiation or by chemicals in the environment. They can also appear spontaneously during the replication of DNA. Mutations generally fall into two types: point mutations and chromosomal aberrations.