Evolution

• Charles Darwin wrote “on the Origin of the Species” in 1858 - suggesting theory of evolution, explaining how new species, including humans, developed.
• Darwin noticed animals developed certain characteristics to help them survive in their natural habitat.
• Darwin believed creatures evolved over time due to natural selection allowing ‘survival of the fittest‘.

  This happened by chance, sometimes useful as it meant animals could survive and breed, forming next generation.
• Proposed that this process repeated over time, new species of animals emerging = evolution.

  Another name is ‘blind evolution’ as it happens by chance.
• Humans evolved from animals over many years.
• Richard Dawkins developed this theory, argues It is the individual genes that adapt and evolve not the organisms themselves (in ‘The Selfish Gene’ - 1976).

  Argues living organism‘s body is a survival machine for genes and doesn’t serve any other purpose.