Table 3 Common misconceptions found in the literature

Evolution is linear process

Evolution is just a “theory”

Individual organisms evolve

Evolution is a teleological process

Humans evolved directly from apes

Only the strongest organisms evolve

Uses the wrong definition of adaptation

There is no evolution misconception present

Dinosaurs and humans lived at the same time

There is a conflict between religion and evolution

Evolution is caused by the environment (not mutations)

Evolution results in progress; organisms are always getting better through evolution

Evolution is a quick process that makes significant changes to a population over a single generation

Only the fittest survive. The fittest organisms in a population are those that are strongest, healthiest, fastest, and/or largest