. The four forces of evolution are mutations, natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow. Mutations are changes in genes that make us who we are today. Mutations, although they are changes in our genetic code, are most of the time harmless and essential to evolution. Mutations can be either advantageous, deleterious, or neutral depending on what the environment of the living organism is (class lecture, Wednesday). The next force of evolution is natural selection which is the idea that favorable traits will dominate the living environment and give an advantage to whoever possesses these traits. Natural selection must involve competition and there must be variation for it occur. Usually the most favorable traits lead to better fitness, which
