Veritasium: If you don't understand this, you don't understand evolution

This Veritasium video breaks down evolution from its messy beginnings (“why does poop smell bad?”) to the birth of life, gene mutations and how natural selection really works. Along the way, Derek Muller teams up with top researchers to show you how to simulate evolution step by step and why traits get passed down (hint: it’s all about survival, reproduction and sometimes even helping your relatives).

You’ll also get the lowdown on kin selection and Richard Dawkins’ “Selfish Gene” idea, plus a peek at how computer models turn these theories into interactive lessons. It’s a quick, fun tour of the core concepts that make evolution tick—no PhD required.

Watch on YouTube