Book turned evolution on its head
The book ‘On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection’ by Charles Darwin was published on November 24, 1859. Known as the Father of Evolution, British naturalist Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England, on February 12, 1809.
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is the foundation of modern evolutionary studies. His ideas were widely accepted in the world of natural sciences but made him lock horns with the Church of England.
The book is considered one of the most effective and influential scientific works done on nature that changed the way people view and study science.
In layman’s language, Darwin’s theory of natural selection illustrates that genetic variations were raw material of organic evolution and nature, like an experienced businessman, selects the best organism, blessed with variations suitable for adaptation in a changed environment.
Darwin collected scattered pieces of evidence during a five-year-long expedition on HMS (His Majesty’s Ship) Beagle that started from Plymouth, England, on December 27, 1831. He conducted extensive study on flora, fauna, geography and geology of various places on his way, including South America, Galapagos Island, Canary Island, Cape Verde Island, Brazilian Rainforests in Salvador, Rio de Janeiro (encountered the cruel treatment of slaves), Peru (Marine evidence in mountains), Australia and Cocos Islands (experienced significant difference between various species), New Zealand and the southern tip of Africa. The voyage also included a three-year survey of coastal regions of Argentina and Chile, where he experienced a massive earthquake.
Being first of its kind, the book exhibited an immediate and extraordinary success, both as a scientific study material and a popular socio-cultural evolutionary phenomenon. Its maiden print ran out within days, and by the time Darwin died, the book had gone through six editions.
The theory of natural selection suggested that populations and species of organisms change gradually over longer periods of time. Today’s concept of organic evolution is linked with one specific person — Darwin.
He hypothesised ‘descent with modification’, stating that species evolve and that all living organisms can trace their descent to a common ancestor. Darwin also proposed a mechanism for evolution, known as natural selection, according to which heritable genetic traits help the organisms survive and reproduce, thus producing changed offspring.
Further, he held that organisms with heritable traits favouring survival and reproduction tend to produce more offspring than those with less favourable traits. As the resources, including space and food, are limited for offspring produced in higher numbers, nature selects the best ones, thus paving the path for success of organisms with favourable traits. He concluded that increased chances of survival and reproduction among organisms with favourable heritable traits would cause the changed traits to increase in frequency over generations.
Natural selection depends on the environment and works on existing heritable variation in a group of organisms.
Though contemporary authors, scientists or naturalists rarely agreed with findings of their competitors, Darwin emerged liberal in including Lamarckism in his text, though as a mechanism of lesser importance.
Significantly enough, Darwin did not just propose that organisms evolved. Had it been so simple he would not be known as the Father of Evolution and found place in as many textbooks of biology and life sciences as found today. Natural selection was the elegant and logical mechanism that explained how populations could undergo descent with modification, meaning evolve to become better adapted and suited to their changed environment.
According to Darwin, traits are often heritable; organisms produce more offspring than can survive; offspring vary in their heritable traits; individuals with helpful traits leave more offspring in next generation than their peers; over generation, the population will become adapted to its environment; and accumulation of favourable variations result in speciation are among the keynote concepts contained in the book, making is the most widely accepted and trusted attribution and reference for study of evolution in modern days.
During his active life, Darwin suffered from several ailments, including cardiovascular diseases. He died of a massive heart attack at his home on April 19, 1882.
