Darwin and Evolution

Summary

In 1859, Charles Darwin published a vastly important work: On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. For centuries, man had been seen as a created species, distinct from any other animal. Then, Darwin persuasively argued that mankind and other species are descended from common ancestors. His theory of “natural selection,” also known as “survival of the fittest,” explains how life evolved through natural processes. By the 1950s, most scientists accepted the theory. However, it upset many who believed that life was created by a supernatural God—a debate which is perpetuated today.

The Science and Discovery Series recreates one of history’s most successful journeys—four thousand years of scientific efforts to better understand and control the physical world. Science has often challenged and upset conventional wisdom or accepted practices; this is a story of vested interests and independent thinkers, experiments and theories, change and progress. Aristotle, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, and many others are featured.