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Overview: This news brief, from September of 2008, describes an unusual contagious cancer currently decimating Tasmanian devil populations. Learn about the fascinating interplay between the evolution of the devils and the evolution of the disease. Author/Source: UC Museum of Paleontology Grade level: 9-12 Time: 20 minutes Teaching tips: This article includes a set of discussion and extension questions for use in class. It also includes hints about related lessons that might be used in conjunction with this one. Get more tips for using Evo in the News articles in your classroom. Concepts: Geological change and biological evolution are linked. Evolution results from selection acting upon genetic variation within a population. Traits that confer an advantage may persist in the population and are called adaptations. The amount of genetic variation within a population may affect the likelihood of survival of the population; the less the available diversity, the less likely the population will be able to survive environmental change. Over time, the proportion of individuals with advantageous characteristics may increase (and the proportion with disadvantageous characteristics may decrease) due to their likelihood of surviving and reproducing. Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable. Teacher background: Genetic Variation Natural Selection

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