Evolution Day
November 24, 2017
Today, November 24, is Evolution Day, a celebration of the day British naturalist Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species on Nov. 24, 1859. The groundbreaking book presented Darwin’s theory of evolution. Since then, advances in various scientific fields have resulted in refinements of the theory. The main ideas of evolution, however, have remained largely unchanged.
Charles Darwin, a British naturalist, became famous for his theories on evolution. Credit: © Time Life Pictures, Getty Images
Darwin’s theory of evolution included several related ideas. These ideas included the belief that evolution had occurred and that most evolutionary change was gradual, requiring thousands or millions of years. Darwin also proposed that the primary mechanism for evolution was a process called natural selection. He said that the millions of species on Earth arose from a single original life form through a branching process called speciation. By speciation, one species can give rise to two or more species. The full title of Darwin’s book is On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.
Darwin’s theories shocked most people of his day. They believed that each species had been created by a separate divine act. Darwin’s book, which is usually called simply The Origin of Species, presented facts that refuted this belief. It caused a revolution in biological science and greatly affected religious thought. Since the book’s publication, religious groups have tried to discredit the theory of evolution because it conflicts with their religious beliefs. For example, they claim that the theory of evolution disagrees with the Biblical account of the Creation. Some people argue against the theory of natural selection because they believe it diminishes the role of divine guidance in the universe. Scientists—and science itself—fully embrace evolution, however, and use millions of examples as proof.
