Premium Essay

Charles Darwin's Theory Of Natural Selection

Submitted By
Words 795
Pages 4
Charles Darwin was very interested in how species changed over time, he had studied fossils and other creatures as he travelled the world and found some to be more familiar to others. This realization that there were similar species roaming the earth led to his theory of natural selection.

On one of his journeys to the Galapagos Islands, Charles Darwin began to study finches, a bird found on many of the different islands. To his discovery he recognized that some of the finches had bigger beaks than others. He went on to find that the different islands had different types of living conditions and food resources. Due to the different food Charles concluded that there was a reason these birds were almost similar in size but their beaks were completely …show more content…
It was not only the idea of their beaks changing over night, it was a more in depth realisation, that it was passed down from generation to generation. Animals had to learn to adapt , find the perfect mate and procreate the next generation of Species, something found to be more instinctive in animals than us human beings.

There was a lot of different speculation to Darwin’s theories, many people felt offended, mainly people of God, who tried many times to ruin Darwin’s theory of natural selection causing the famous “scopes monkey trial” in Dayton Tennessee. Soon people moved on but only if more bible study was introduced into schools curriculum as well.

Charles Darwin grandfather Erasmus Darwin, played a major influential role on his grandson. His evolutionary theories is what intrigued Charles and influenced him into writing one of the best explanatory books of evolution …show more content…
Certain features may differ due to living in certain environments for example, studies have proven that people living in high altitudes; their breathing becomes alot easier but if someone who is not used to living in such an environment, has a higher chance of passing out. The correct term for living in an environment not of your own and getting used to it is called Acclimatization. Another good example would be when someone from Johannesburg moves to Port Elizabeth; they might find their bodies are in fact quiet sensitive to the change in the environment and may experience physical changes like their hair frizzing or their skin breaking out in pimples.

The culture in which we live too plays a role in human variation. Cultures affect however kind of person you are and how you live your life. Culture plays a role on one’s diet, fashion ideas and living conditions. It is interesting to note that it also has an impact on how one thinks or what one believes in. Culture is not something that affects one directly. I would suggest it has a more indirect affect, without one even noticing how it could make human

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Charles Darwin's Theory Of Natural Selection

...Evolution plays a major part in today; it provides a vast amount of information of the reproduction of animals and organism. Evolution is the process of which different kinds of living organisms are believed to have developed from recent and earlier forms during the history and past of the earth. There are many theories of evolution from many different scientists but the two most well-known theories are by Charles Darwin and Jean Baptise Lamarck. Charles Darwin: Charles Darwin was born in 1809. He used the term “Decent with modification” to explain his proposed theory of “Natural Selection”. He stated that all species evolved from species in the past. Organisms change through time, usually slowly and can evolve overtime to become a new species. He had a large amount of useful...

Words: 440 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Charles Darwin's Theory Of Natural Selection

...Charles Darwin wrote one of the most influential pieces of work of all time, “The Origin of Species” on his theory of natural selection. The voyage to South America, Australia, the Pacific Ocean and more specifically the Galápagos Islands on the H.M.S Beagle offered the prefect environment for Darwin to develop his theory and explore within his own scientific investigations. Although studying the natural environment in England could deliver similar observations regarding variances in species and the subtle yet on-going geological changed over long periods of time, it is reasonable to argue that the total enterprise experienced by Charles Darwin would not have been realized to the same magnitude as occurred on the voyage as compared to studying in England....

Words: 469 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Other Topics

...Darwin's Theory Of Evolution - A Theory in Crisis You are here: Science >> Darwin's Theory Of Evolution Darwin's Theory of Evolution - The Premise Darwin's Theory of Evolution is the widely held notion that all life is related and has descended from a common ancestor: the birds and the bananas, the fishes and the flowers -- all related. Darwin's general theory presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic (undirected) "descent with modification". That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. In a nutshell, as random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival -- a process known as "natural selection." These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation. Over time, beneficial mutations accumulate and the result is an entirely different organism (not just a variation of the original, but an entirely different creature). Darwin's Theory of Evolution - Natural Selection While Darwin's Theory of Evolution is a relatively young archetype, the evolutionary worldview itself is as old as antiquity. Ancient Greek philosophers such as Anaximander postulated the development of life from non-life and the evolutionary descent of man from animal. Charles Darwin simply brought something new to the old philosophy -- a plausible mechanism called "natural selection." Natural selection acts to preserve...

Words: 876 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin

...An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin [Name] [Institution] An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin Introduction Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was a renowned English naturalist whose work completely revolutionized the study of natural sciences. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was not only popular during his time but it soon formed the foundation of modern scientific attempts to understand the origin and development of life on earth. Forming part of the reason for his success was his passionate personality concerning science and the nature in general. According to Gutek (1995, p.5), Darwin was a great naturalist whose theory exerted a profound outlook on the European as well as American intellectuals. For example, by questioning the traditional conceptions of human origin, the theory brought about changes in the manner of thinking among many intellectuals. Darwin’s personal accomplishments were shaped by a number of factors chief among them his early interest in nature. From childhood, Charles Darwin collected different things such as beetles and stones and carried out experiments together with his brother inside a garden shed. However, it is his five year voyage aboard HMS Beagle (1831-1836) which provided him with an opportunity to make observations and investigations that culminated in his theory of natural selection (Sulloway, 1982, p.1). Historical Context There are a number of historical events that significantly...

Words: 1110 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Wferfdw

...English 101–Section 605 16 September 2015 The Theory of Evolution and How It Has Revolutionized Our Understanding. Have you ever wondered where human life started? If you have, you certainly are not alone. Charles Darwin spent much of his life trying to answer that question. In 1859, when Darwin published his book The Theory of Origin he gave us one of the most widely accepted theories on how life developed on earth. His findings changed science forever and still has lasting effects today. Verlyn Klinkenborg New York Times essay Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea illustrates many of the reasons why Darwin was such an important and revolutionary person. Charles Darwin’s essay Natural Selection was ahead of its time when it was published in the 19th century. Darwin discussed animals and the traits that are passed on from generation to generation. Through his observations Charles Darwin came to the conclusion that animals compete for resources and that the animal with the most desirable trait will be more likely to survive and pass on their genes. He also stated that because of this, it helps explain all of the variation within each different species of living things. Darwin also discussed that his theory of Natural Selection doesn’t only apply to animals but also to plants. He observed that only plants that had the best ways to distribute their pollen would be able to reproduce. Charles Darwin’s ideas still live on over 150 years after his publication...

Words: 661 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Why Was Charles Darwin Important To Society

...Charles Darwin is important to the society now because of the hypothesis that he has made. In the science world, he was known for learning about genetics. He was a man whose theories seemed to appear as the truth. Darwin found different birds and also the theory of natural selection. These are some of his well known hypotheses. Charles Darwin, had found species of birds and named them all similar. The birds are Finches, the birds come in different shapes and colors. The finches originated from a group of 15 different species. 14 of the species came from the same place and 1 specie came from somewhere else. Charles Darwin’s birds came from Galapagos and islands of the pacific ocean. Charles Darwin is important to our generation because...

Words: 344 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Comparing Darwin and Alfred Russel

...Introduction Charles Darwin born 12 February, 1809 was an English geologist and naturalist. Alfred Wallace born 8 January 1823 was a British explorer, naturalist, geographer, biologist and anthropologist. Darwin and Wallace are highly regarded for their significant contributions to the theories of evolution. It is very important to compare the individual lifestyles, contributions, and beliefs of Darwin and Wallace in order to develop a clear and comprehensive understanding of their concepts of natural selection in evolution. According to Janet Browne (2010) in her biography of Darwin, she describes the similarities in the life experiences of Darwin and Wallace that led them to independently arrive at the theory of natural selection. Both Wallace and Darwin were inspired by the readings such as Charles Lyell and Thomas Malthus. Browne notes that, “Even so, the parallels between Darwin’s and Wallace’s ideas are no less remarkable for their cultural symmetry. Their similarities are further demonstrated by them sharing similar geographical exploration and travel experiences and their mutual appreciations of their marvels of nature and overwhelming desire to comprehend them…” (Browne 2010: 357). The two theorists examined the concepts of natural selection independently until its publication. By the 1958, Darwin had already developed his idea on natural selection but had not published it as he was still collecting more evidence. After his previous research had been destroyed in...

Words: 2334 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck: Theories Of Evolution And Australian Animals

...French naturalist came up with a theory how organisms evolved, he believed that they evolved through their efforts to the response of the demand of their environment “Australia is home to many interesting phenomena, amongst them its weird and wonderful wildlife. 86% of plants, 84% of mammals and...

Words: 1437 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Charles Darwin

...Charles Darwin From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other people named Charles Darwin, see Charles Darwin (disambiguation). Charles Darwin Darwin, aged 45 in 1854, by then working towards publication of On the Origin of Species Born Charles Robert Darwin 12 February 1809 The Mount, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom Died 19 April 1882 (aged 73) Down House, Downe, Kent, United Kingdom Residence England Citizenship British Nationality British Fields Naturalist Institutions tertiary education: University of Edinburgh (medicine) University of Cambridge (ordinary Bachelor of Arts) professional institution: Geological Society of London Academic advisors John Stevens Henslow Adam Sedgwick Known for The Voyage of the Beagle On the Origin of Species evolution by natural selection, common descent Influences Alexander von Humboldt John Herschel Charles Lyell Influenced Joseph Dalton Hooker Thomas Henry Huxley George Romanes Ernst Haeckel Sir John Lubbock Notable awards Royal Medal (1853) Wollaston Medal (1859) Copley Medal (1864) Spouse Emma Darwin (married 1839) Signature Charles Robert Darwin, FRS (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist.[I] He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors,[1] and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect...

Words: 605 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Darwinism

...the most basic of terms, Darwinism became synonymous with Charles Darwin's explanation of evolution and, to an extent, his description of natural selection. These ideas, first published in his arguably most famous book On the Origin of Species, were direct and have stood the test of time. So, originally, Darwinism only included the fact that species change over time due to nature selecting the most favorable adaptations within the population. These individuals with the better adaptations lived long enough to reproduce and pass those traits down to the next generation, ensuring the species' survival.” II. Different Types of Darwinism Neo-Darwinism – “Neo-Darwinism, also called the modern evolutionary synthesis, generally denotes the integration of Charles Darwin's theory ofevolution by natural selection, Gregor Mendel's theory of genetics as the basis for biological inheritance, and mathematical population genetics. Although this was not the historical meaning of the term neo-Darwinism, it has been the popular and scientific use of the expression since the synthesis of the 1930s” Social Darwinism –“Social Darwinism, term coined in the late 19th century to describe the idea that humans, like animals and plants, compete in a struggle for existence in which natural selection results in "survival of the fittest." Social Darwinists base their beliefs on theories of evolution developed by British naturalist Charles Darwin. Some social Darwinists argue that governments should...

Words: 629 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Theory of Evolution

...The Theory of Evolution “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” (Charles Darwin). One of the more controversial pieces ever written was Darwin’s Natural Selection. The controversy is evolution vs. creation. Religion says earth and mankind, and life in general was created by god (as told in the creation story) with a design and purpose. Darwin says life all descends from a common ancestor with modifications over time in an undirected manor. It is not outside the realm of possibility that Darwin may be right considering he was trained as a minister and allowed himself to step outside the general consensus. Much like he did, we may need to accept that there may be some truth to the work he has done over his life I feel that Darwin's work was impactful because it shows us that there are alternative reasoning’s behind how we got here. I agree with Darwin's work and his theory of evolution because it is actually supported by evidence. I don't know about you but I've never been religious. I also think that his theory should be taught because religion has no place in public classrooms. Let parents teach religion, schools teach science, and allow the child to decide what to believe. I believe that evolution is real because it explains why there are so many different types of certain species. Natural selection is the gradual process by which biological traits become either more or less common in a population...

Words: 1580 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Charles Darwin Research Paper

...Why are the same animal species so different from one continent to another? That is a question that Charles Darwin asked himself. Charles Darwin was an English naturalist who studied evolution through animals during a five-year expedition around the world in the 19th century. He explained all his discoveries and investigations in 1859 in a book named “On the Origins of Species” and he also published in the same year his Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. Some of the animals that Darwin observed were marine iguanas, large tortoises, sharks, rays, fur seals, sea lions, and 26 distinct species of birds. Now, I am going to explain briefly the Theory of Evolution, Darwin’s book “On the Origins of Species,” and Charles Darwin discoveries. Evolution is the heritable physical or behavior traits progression or changes over time. Animals change when compared to their ancestors that lived before them. Some heritable changes happened because of their environment, only those animals that adapt to their environment will survive. Charles Darwin books “On the Origins of Species” and the “Theory...

Words: 516 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Darwin-France

...Analysis of an Ideologue Template |Introductory Information | |Ideologue’s Name |Charles Darwin-France | |Birth-Death Years |February 12, 1809 – April 19, 1882 (Hustad, 2016) | |Picture of Ideologue: Find a |[pic] | |digital photo of the | | |individual and paste it here.| | |Most Noted For | ...

Words: 1358 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Charles Darwin's Interest In The Galapagos

...Charles Darwin was an English biologist who is best known for his contributions of natural selection to the theory of evolution and his interest in the Galapagos Islands due to the adaptation of species. Darwin’s career was highly influenced by his childhood. His family helped Charles with their financial and moral support aboard the H.M.S. Beagle, “the voyage [which] took nearly five years, from December 1831 to October 1836” (American Museum of Natural History). In particular, the Galapagos and South America greatly intrigued Darwin, where he discovered species such as, “the marine iguana, the giant tortoise, the finch, and the blue-footed booby” (Cappadocia). It was due to the research and persisting feeling on Darwin’s behalf that allowed him to come to the conclusion “that all [finches] came from one ancestral species”. Ultimately, this means that there must have been other species who have originated from one ancestral species. Darwin was extremely intelligent, and it was all due to this infamous man’s childhood. Charles Darwin was born on the 12th of February, 1809 in Shrewsbury of Shropshire, England. This was the birthdate for another important historical figure: Abraham Lincoln. Charles Darwin was born to Dr. Robert Darwin and Susannah Darwin. Darwin was quite rich as...

Words: 1109 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Darwin’s Influences on Modern Thought

...Darwin’s influences on modern thought In the article, “Darwin’s Influence on Modern Thought” written by Ernst Mayr argues that Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theories have influenced the thinking of every person, not just the scientific community.   He states that no one with an education questions the legitimacy of Darwin’s theories which he believes are regarded as fact now. This article attempts to summarize what Mayr believes to be Darwin’s principal influences on modern thought.   Evolution was Darwin’s first key influence. When this idea first surfaced, the majority of leading scientists and philosophers believed that the world was the creation of God, not the result of gradual natural forces. Mayr claimed that evolution must be a gradual process with its fundamental mechanism being natural selection. Mayr believes that Darwin’s theory of natural selection makes it pointless that the notion of teleological forces.   If nature makes selections without help this leaves no room for dominant design, claims Mayr. The article suggests that natural selection is a product of randomness and chance, determinism, which suggests that all events are causal so that means they are also predictable. Darwin’s theory on human decent from apes, removed the opinion that man was uniquely advanced in the animal world.  Mayr believed that even though the theory did explain our primitive fall, it did not weaken the idea of human supremacy and the fact that we are intelligent...

Words: 428 - Pages: 2