BBC: Climate change and animal evolution -2

So the survivors were those lizards with those characteristics, and they passed those traits along to their offspring. 

Thor's lizards developed stronger front legs and smaller back legs, allowing them to cling on, hold on to something tightly, when hurricanes pass through. 

It's this trait, a genetically- determinde characteristic, that allows the lizards to survive, and is passed on to their babies. Thor checked other areas of the Caribbean were hurricanes were frequent and found the same traits in lizards there, proof of evolution in action. But whereas we often think of evolution happening over hundreds, even thousands of years, the changes in the Caribbean lizards happened in around forty years, something that would have surprised Charles Darwin. Which reminds me of your question, Rob. 

Yes, I asked you for the name of the ship Darwin sailed around the world in. 

Darwin's ship was called the HMS Beagle and, appropriately enough, it was named after an animal- a beagle is a type of dog. OK, let's recap the vocabulary from this programme about evolution, the way living things adapt to their environment and pass these adaptation on to their children. 

Flora and fauna is another way of saying the plants and animals of a place. 

Drab means dull and colourless in appearance. 

A bird's beak is the hard, pointed part of its mouth. 

To cling on means to hold on very tightly. 

And finally, a trait is a genetically-determined characteristic. Once again, our six minutes are up! Join us again soon for more interesting topics and useful vocabulary here at 6 Minute English.