Darwin's Theory Of Evolution By Natural Selection

For centuries, scientists and religious believers alike presented their theories for the origin of humans and other species of organisms on Earth. Probably the most widely recognized and most influential person that has had a lasting imprint in our understanding of life on Earth is Charles Darwin (1809-1882). Darwin was a naturalist that worked diligently and for a long time in hopes of discovering a new theory for the origin of all species. He lived in a period where religion was the explanation for everything, so his ideas were rarely accepted by the public. After visiting the Galapagos Islands and studying the species there, Darwin made strides in his research and understanding where species came from and how they adapted to their environments. It was not until after his visit to the islands that he could finally develop the theory of evolution by natural selection.

The HMS Beagle landed on the Galapagos Islands in 1835 where Darwin noticed something about the species of animals there. Darwin noticed that the animals on the islands, although different, showed very similar characteristics to animals in other places he had visited. Most importantly, Darwin knew that these islands were recently formed by volcanic eruptions, so he wondered how life could just spontaneously appear. He theorized that migrations of species from other islands close to the Galapagos could account for the diversity of life on this new island. Moreover, the species on the Galapagos Islands diverged from their ancestral stock in ways that helped them survive better in their new environment. This discovery reinforced his theory that species can evolve over time in response to a new environment and in order to increase their chances of