Explore the Natural Selection Simulator
Watch fur colour evolve in a bunny population as predators hunt and the environment changes. Free, no signup, runs in your browser.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Natural Selection Simulator with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Natural Selection Simulator?
Watch fur colour evolve in a bunny population as predators hunt and the environment changes. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Natural selection explains antibiotic-resistant bacteria, pesticide-resistant insects and how species adapt to new habitats. Conservation biologists use it to understand survival.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Individuals whose traits match the environment survive and reproduce more.
Change the environment and the favoured trait changes with it.
Mutation adds new variation, and chance (genetic drift) matters most in small populations.
Switch the ground and watch the population shift.
Raise predator pressure to 90%.
Turn the mutation rate up and watch variety appear.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Biology learners
Biology students and teachers who want to explore living systems, populations and genetics interactively and safely.
Try it freeTeachers
For teachers: project the Natural Selection Simulator on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Raise predator pressure to 90%. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
What is natural selection?
The process where organisms with traits that suit their environment are more likely to survive and pass those traits on, so the population changes over generations.
Why do the results differ each time I run it?
Survival and mutation are random, so each run varies. Selection pushes the average in one direction, but chance adds noise, especially with small populations.
Is the Natural Selection Simulator free to use?
Yes. The Natural Selection Simulator is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Biology group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Natural Selection Simulator work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Natural Selection Simulator takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 6 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Natural Selection Simulator?
1. In the Natural Selection Simulator, use the controls to change Ground, Hawks (predator pressure), Food supply (max population), Mutation rate, Speed, and more. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Natural Selection Simulator, pick an option such as Snow, Forest floor, Auto seasons to switch modes or load an example. 3. In the Natural Selection Simulator, press "Send a hawk", "Pause", "Reset" to start, reset or change what is happening. 4. Start with this experiment: Switch the ground and watch the population shift. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Natural Selection Simulator responds in real time. 5. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Individuals whose traits match the environment survive and reproduce more.
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Try the Natural Selection Simulator now
Watch fur colour evolve in a bunny population as predators hunt and the environment. Free to use.
Try it free