Jingchun Li, an Explorer with National Geographic:Evolution of "Living Solar Panels" When you

visit a healthy marine coral reef, the number of distinct fish species and their numerous bright
colors are the first things you notice.The diversity of species that coexist in a community is
referred to as marine biodiversity.Have the students read about National Geographic Explorer
Jingchun Li's work on marine biodiversity and coral reef ecosystems that are biologically
productive.Li is researching the macroevolution of coral reefs and other organisms to deal with
the stresses brought on by human disturbances of their ecosystems.
Group the students up.Ask the students about the stresses that coral reefs and other marine
organisms need to adapt to in the marine environment.Divide them into small groups to
investigate these shifts and develop solutions to deal with the disturbances.
Fossil evidence is crucial to understanding how early humans evolved over time for scientists
studying human evolution.Scientists examine fossils for clues to changes in a variety of
characteristics, including the size of the brain, the shape of the skull, how the animal moved, and
the size of the jaw.Have the students read about human ancestors' history.The next step is to use
clues from the Mystery Skull Interactive to identify fossils.