| Haldane's evolutionary unit | <unit> A unit of measurement, given in darwins, which measures the increase in body size of a chronospecies over evolutionary time. (13 Nov 1997) |
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| evolutionary computation | <genetics> Evolutionary computation, genetic algorithms, and genetic programming are all computer disciplines involved with modeling genetic inheritance and/or biological evolution in computers. (09 Oct 1997) |
| evolutionary distance | <botany> In phylogenetic trees, the sum of the physical distance on a tree separating organisms, this distance is inversely proportional to evolutionary relatedness. (09 Oct 1997) |
| evolutionary fitness | The probability that the line of descent from an individual with a specific trait will not eventually die out. (05 Mar 2000) |
| biological clock | <biology, physiology> An internal biological mechanism which controls certain biological rhythms and biocycles, such as metabolism, sleep cycles, photosynthesis. (21 Mar 1998) |
| circadian clock | <physiology> A biological timing mechanism that controls cell synchronisation (a entire population of cells divides simultaneously). (09 Oct 1997) |
| molecular clock | This term has two separate uses. 1. <molecular biology> The rate of fixation of mutations in DNA and thus times the rate of genetic diversification. 2. <cell biology> A biological system capable of maintaining up a timing rhythm or pulse. All such clocks are thought to be entrained by a natural oscillator such as the diurnal rhythm. (18 Nov 1997) |
| ten-o'clock | <botany> A plant, the star-of-Bethlehem. See Star. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| four-o'clock | 1. <botany> A plant of the genus Mirabilis. There are about half a dozen species, natives of the warmer parts of America. The common four-o'clock is M. Jalapa. Its flowers are white, yellow, and red, and open toward sunset, or earlier in cloudy weather; hence the name. It is also called marvel of Peru, and afternoon lady. 2. <zoology> The friar bird; so called from its cry, which resembles these words. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| lens clock | A device for measuring the radii of the curvature of a spectacle lens. Synonym: lens clock. Origin: Geneva, Switzerland (05 Mar 2000) |