Charles Darwin

• • Charles Darwin created the theory of evolution by natural selection
• 1. individual organisms in species showed wide variation in characteristics
  2. individuals with characteristics most suited to environment more likely to survive
  3. those more liekly to survive are more likely to reproduce and pass on gene for successful characteristic
  4. over time, beneficial characteristic becomes more common in population
• • organisms less well adapted, less likely to survive and reproduce
  • less likely to pass on genes to next generation
• theory of evolution was only partially accepted because:

  • theory challenged idea that God created organisms
  • he could not explain why new characteristics appeared or how they passed on
  • genes and mutations was not known about until 50 years after theory published
• Jean Baptise Lamarck:

  • characteristics used alot would become more developed and be passed on to offspring
• • Lamarck was proved to be wrong because experiments did not support his hypothesis
• • discovery of genetics supported Darwin
  • provided explanation of how organisms which beneficial characteristics could pass them on
  • fossils supported Darwin
  • shown change in organisms over time
  • discovery of anti-resistant bacteria supported Darwin
  • showed how bacteria able to evolve to beome resistant to bacteria