Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection

Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection

“Natural selection is a process in which organisms with certain inherited traits are more likely to survive and reproduce than are individuals with other traits” (Simon, Reece, Dickey, 2012). Darwin’s theory of natural selection is that a stronger animal or organism will survive while the weaker animal or organism will be killed off. Wiki answers explains:

This means that the stronger ones' genes will be passed on, and the generation is thus slightly stronger on average. This occurs in large numbers of generations, so when say 25 thousand generations have passed the organisms will be noticeably stronger, more likely to survive and more likely to procreate. So the species as a whole gets stronger by nature 'choosing' the better to be carried forward. (n.p.)

Organisms slowly change as both physical or behavioral traits are inherited over time. These changes allow the organism to better adapt to its environment giving it the tools needed to survive and ultimately, produce more offspring. Natural selection is capable of both major and minor changes. Microevolution can cause small changes over several generations. Things such as change in color or size of a population would be classified under microevolution. Ker Than, senior editor of TechNewsDaily writes:

But natural selection is also capable of much more. Given enough time and enough accumulated changes, natural selection can create entirely new species. It can turn dinosaurs into birds, apes into humans and amphibious mammals into whales. (n.p.).

“Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the best substantiated theories in the history of science, supported by evidence from a wide variety of scientific disciplines, including paleontology, geology, genetics and developmental biology” (Than, 2013). Darwin’s vision was deep and simple. “The environment screens a population’s inherent variability. Unequal success in reproduction (natural selection) leads to...