Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection

Evolution & Adaptation 1859 Featured

Discoverers: Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace

Overview

The theory that species evolve over time through natural selection, where organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce more successfully.

Significance

Provided the unifying framework for all of biology, explaining the diversity and adaptation of life on Earth without invoking supernatural design.

Methodology

Twenty years of observations during the HMS Beagle voyage, study of finches, barnacles, and domestic breeding, culminating in On the Origin of Species.

Impact