Can random mutation mimic design?
Complex biological structures, such as the human eye, have been interpreted as evidence for a creator for over three centuries. This raises the question of whether random mutation can create such adaptations. In this paper, we present an inquiry-based laboratory that explores this question using paper airplanes as a model organism. The main task for students in this investigation is figure out how to simulate paper airplane evolution (including reproduction, inheritance, mutation, and selection. In addition, the lab requires students to practice analytic thinking and to carefully delineate the implications of their results.
