Evolutionary genetics is the study of how genetic variation leads to the evolution of species over time. It combines principles from genetics, which focuses on heredity and variation in organisms, with evolutionary biology, which examines how species change and adapt. By analyzing DNA sequences and genetic traits, scientists can understand how populations evolve in response to environmental pressures. This field also explores concepts like natural selection, where advantageous traits become more common in a population, and genetic drift, which refers to random changes in gene frequencies. Together, these processes help explain the diversity of life on Earth and how species adapt to their surroundings.