Thanks everyone for a great #scistuchat! Thanks especially to the students and @2footgiraffe for organizing.

A7: A completely different reason: we can use it to solve hard engineering problems with evolutionary computation #SciStuChat

A7: Everything is still evolving, and evolution is a powerful force. My goal is to use that to stabilize collapsing ecosystems #scistuchat

A6: One misconception is evolution always results in the fittest organisms. Some populations get caught in evolutionary traps #scistuchat

A5: It also directly follows from math if we have variation, inheritance, and selection. We have those, so it can't not happen. #SciStuChat

A5: We can observe it in the lab! http://myxo.css.msu.edu/ #SciStuChat

.@2lethridge18 Have to be recently extinct + you have to get lucky to find well preserved remains, like frozen DNA from ice age #SciStuChat

A4: It takes a long time, so it's hard to get an intuition. Also often has counterintuitive results. Plus lot's of randomness #SciStuChat

A3: Generally it means that they share a relatively recent common ancestor. Like how we related to our cousins, but larger scale #scistuchat

A2: Evolution is the process by which populations of living things change over time. Often improves survival + reproduction. #scistuchat

Outside of science, it's sort of the opposite - something you haven't really tested that much. Which is why people get confused. #scistuchat

A1: In science, a theory is a big, well-proven, concept that brings a lot of ideas and evidence together. #scistuchat

Hi, #scistuchat! I'm Emily, a PhD student studying evolutionary biology, ecology, and computer science at Michigan State University.

Thanks for this, @2footgiraffe #scistuchat , glad I could make it.

Not sure why people who don't know these topics are incorrectly answering questions asked of experts. #scistuchat

#ProTip for #scistuchat folks, sharks are fish, killing them to eat or sell them is "fishing" not "hunting".

#scistuchat If anyone ever has questions about sharks, #sharkscience or shark conservation, please feel free to ask.

#scistuchat A7 donate time or money to reputable environmental non-profits or research programs.

#scistuchat A7 Support and purchase sustainable seafood.

#scistuchat A7 in the US, citizens frequently have the opportunity to comment on @NOAAFisheries proposed regulations.

#scistuchat A6 Predators can help keep the food chain in balance, either through eating prey or "fear ecology" effects

#scistuchat Science teachers, a @HammerschlagLab team member is happy to talk to your class about sharks! Whysharksmatter at gmail.

Shark Research & Conservation Program (SRC) | University ...

#scistuchat Want to join a #SharkScience expedition? @UMSharkResearch takes high school science classes on our boat http://RJD.Miami.edu/participate

#scistuchat A3 A common misconception about sharks is that they're mindless killing machines. More people are killed by toasters, cows, etc

#scistuchat A1 my second favorite shark is the Atlantic sharpnose shark, seen here. #GonnaNeedABiggerBoat

#scistuchat A1 my favorite shark is the sandbar shark, seen here.

#scistuchat Not sure if I'm supposed to be answering numbered questions, any questions, just questions asked @ me...? @2footgiraffe ?

#scistuchat There seem to be lots of non-experts answering questions asked of experts. Incorrectly.

#scistuchat There are 512 recognized species of sharks according to @IUCNRedList @IUCNShark . Whoever is saying 440 is not correct.

Shark Research & Conservation Program (SRC) | University ...

#scistuchat The @umsharkresearch team takes high school students to tag sharks with us! http://RJD.miami.edu/participate