Transcript The Evolution of evolutionary theory

James Hutton (1726-1797) and
Charles Lyell (1797-1875):
-Studied the forces of wind, water,
earthquakes, and volcanoes.
-Concluded that the Earth is very
old and has changed slowly over
time due to natural processes.
Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802):
-suggested that that
competition between
individuals could lead to
changes in species
-was Charles Darwin’s
grandfather.
Jean Baptiste Lamarck (17441829):
-was the first scientist to propose
a mechanism by which
organisms change over time.
-hypothesized that living things
evolve through the inheritance
of acquired characteristics.
Through the study of fossils, Lamarck noticed a drive towards
complexity and theorized that each species came from a
species less complex.
Lamarck believed that evolution was based on 2 principles:
1.
Law of use and disuse
The more an animal uses a certain part of the body, the
stronger and better developed it becomes
2.
Inheritance of acquired characteristics
Characteristics an organism developed through use and
disuse could be passed on to its offspring
Thomas Malthus (1766-1834):
-observed that human populations
cannot keep growing
indefinitely. If the human birth
rate continued to exceed the
death rate, eventually humans
would run out of living space
and food.
- believed that famine, disease, and
war prevented endless
population growth.
Charles Darwin (1809-1882):
-formulated a theory of evolution
by natural selection based on observations made
during his voyage on the Beagle and of selective
breeding of farm animals, plants , and pets.
-drafted manuscripts outlining his theory in the 1840s
but hesitated to release them to the public.
-published his most famous work “On the Origin of
Species by Means of Natural Selection” in 1859.
Alfred Russell Wallace (1823-1913):
-proposed a theory of evolution by
natural selection similar to that of
Darwin’s theory.
-wrote a paper and sent it to Darwin
to review., spurring Darwin on to
agree, finally, to the release of his
theory. (In 1858, Charles Lylle
presented Darwin’s 1844 essay
and Wallace’s paper to the
public.)
Imagine that you are 21 years old and have just
graduated from university. You aren’t quite sure
whether you want to settle down and start working
in your field of study. You have always enjoyed
going on hikes and observing nature. One day you
see a job advertisement in the paper. The
government is looking for people to work on a fiveyear surveying expedition around the coast of South
America.
Would you apply for the job? Why or why not?
Put the previous scientific theorists and evolutionary
discoveries on a detailed time line.
Research the Miller Urey experiment and one
additional scientists/scientific discovery in the
field of evolution. Add these two finding to your
timeline.
Include:
-The Name of Each Theorist
-Important Dates
-Brief Notes on each Theorists Major Findings
Read the story of Darwin and use the website:
to learn more about Darwin’s voyage on the
Beagle and his scientific discoveries. Take
notes!
Use the information gathered to fill in a map
summarizing the process of discovery that led
Darwin to formulate his theory of evolution by
natural selection.