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Darwin's theory. In 1859, Charles Darwin set out his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and speciation. He defined natural selection as the "principle by which each slight variation [of a trait], if useful, is preserved". [17]
Apr 24, 2024 · Charles Darwin (born February 12, 1809, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England—died April 19, 1882, Downe, Kent) was an English naturalist whose scientific theory of evolution by natural selection became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies.
Natural selection is one of the basic mechanisms of evolution, along with mutation, migration, and genetic drift. Darwin’s grand idea of evolution by natural selection is relatively simple but often misunderstood. To see how it works, imagine a population of beetles: There is variation in traits.
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection underlies all modern biology. It enables us to decipher our genes and fight viruses, as well as to understand Earth's fossil record and rich biodiversity. Simple and at times controversial, misunderstood and misused for social goals, the theory remains unchallenged as the central concept of biology.
After speaking to Huxley and Hooker at Downe in April 1856, Darwin began writing a triple-volume book, tentatively called Natural Selection, which was designed to crush the opposition with a welter of facts.
After several false starts, Darwin hit upon the idea of natural selection, which combined his knowledge of variation and inheritance with a realization derived from reading the economist Thomas Malthus: that more organisms are born each generation than can possibly survive and reproduce. The organisms with the heritable variations that make ...
Oct 19, 2023 · In 1859, Darwin published his thoughts about evolution and natural selection in On the Origin of Species. It was as popular as it was controversial. The book convinced many people that species change over time—a lot of time—suggesting that the planet was much older than what was commonly believed at the time: six thousand years.
