Transcript 1-30-13 Early Scientists who aided Darwin PPT

Thomas
Malthus
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1798 published Essay on the
Principle of Population
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Gave Darwin idea that populations produce
more offspring than can survive because
populations increase faster than earth can
support
This would mean that natural selection would be
“the survival of the fittest” because there were
not enough resources for every organism to
survive.
Lamarck
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Lamarck published a theory of
evolution in 1809 (same year
Darwin was born). He
explained the mechanism of
evolution with two principles.
The use or disuse of body
parts leads to their
development or deterioration,
acquired characteristics can
be inherited.
Charles Lyell
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Proposed geological theory of
uniformitarianism which is different from
catastrophism.
Uniformitarianism- the events in the past
that formed the Earth are still at play
today and are a gradual process
Principles of Geology was published,
Darwin read and agreed with the findings.
Charles Lyell Continued
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He studied sedimentary rock and how the layers
(stata) of the Earth form.
He said that these processes take thousands of
years to occur.
Darwin used this information to conclude that if
the different layers of the Earth take thousands
of years to form, then the different fossils found
in each layer must’ve taken thousands of years
to change or evolve.
Charles Lyell Cont.
Voyage of the Beagle
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Darwin was 22 years old when he sailed from
Great Britain on the H.M.S. Beagle in 1831.
He spent the voyage collecting thousands of
specimens of the fauna and flora, observing
various adaptations of organisms. He was
particularly struck by the uniqueness of the
fauna of the Galapagos Islands
Darwin and Wallace
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In the 1830’s Darwin starts compiling his
work and another scientist, Alfred Wallace,
was also working on a theory of natural
selection.
Before publishing his findings, Wallace
sends a copy of his work to Darwin in
1858.
To Darwin’s surprise, Wallace has
formulated a very similar theory!
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Both findings were presented to the Linnaean
Society in 1858.
Darwin’s Origin of Species was published in 1859
(yes! 20 years after he wrote it!), Wallace will
continue his travels and research
Wallace’s theory and name will forever stand in
the shadow of Darwin and the theory of
evolution
Best Seller!
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Darwin’s book was a success, however,
natural selection was still questioned even
by Darwinist
In 1865 Mendel’s findings on heredity
were published
However, it would take until the 1900’s
before the findings were revisited
Charles Darwin dies in 1882 and is buried
in Westminster Abbey