Wednesday, October 12, 2011

On Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection





Dale Anderson
AP Biology


    Whether it is Lamarck's theory that evolution is driven by an innate
tendency towards greater complexity, Darwin's theory of natural selection, or
the belief that the evolution of plant and animal life is controlled by a higher
being, the process of evolution cannot be denied.   Archaeological investigations
have proven that species evolve over time, but the unanswered questions are "
How?" and "Why?"   The answer lies in Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
    Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England on February 12, 1809.   Mr.
Darwin was easily bored with his studies as a child, he turned away from his
father's footsteps and becoming a physician after seeing several operations
performed without anesthesia.   He became interested in geology and natural
history and was not intrigued by his studies of the holy ordge University.   He
was sent on a trip to explore the world and while he was on this journey, he
became enthralled with biology and geology. He made and wrote observations about
coral reefs (1842), and volcanic islands (1844), but his greatest biological
observations were those pertaining to his theory of evolution.
    Darwin's findings begin in the Galapagos Islands where he noticed a wide
array of finches whose beaks were different sizes.   He believed that the
physical conditions on the island did not affect the birds' beaks, but it was
the birds' feeding habits.   For instance, the birds with the large, powerful
beaks ate large seeds, while the birds with the small or fine beaks, ate small
seeds or insects.   He theorized that each bird was suited to its surroundings
and was adapted to its environment, thus the birds best suited to the
environment prevailed and reproduced, leaving those who did not adapt, extinct.
    In his book, On the Origin of Species, Darwin presented the idea that
species evolve from more primitive species through the process of natural...



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