Charles Darwin The Origin Of Species

The Origin of Species begins with naturalist Charles Darwin recounting his trip aboard the HMS Beagle from December 1831 to October 1836. He explains how he formed his theory of natural selection through his observation, and data collection on various species in South America and the neighboring islands, namely the Galapagos Islands. Darwin states his knowledge of prior researcher’s observations of similarities between organic species and the idea that species were not created independently, but may have descended from others. Many naturalists first attributed this to external conditions including climate, food, and geography. However, Darwin was the first to assert that something else was at work that caused so many species to be so well adapted to their surroundings. Through careful study of plants, animals (both domesticated and natural), Darwin provides a theory on the origin on species. He poses the theory of natural selection, and states that species with advantageous variations have the best chance for survival. In his studies Darwin is able to reject the idea that environmental factors are the primary triggers of variation, because new types of old species have come to existence without a major change in environmental conditions. Darwin also rejects the notion that habits of use are the main cause of variation in species. Reproduction plays the biggest role in variation, because parents pass specific variations on to their offspring. These variations are then perpetuated in the following generations. Two concepts dominate how different species are created: the struggle for existence and natural selection. The large number of adaptations that were seen, such as the beak of a woodpecker, or the ability of a beetle to dive...

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..., should all be constructed on the same pattern, and should include the same bones, in the same relative positions?” All of these limbs share a few commonalities, yet are very different in function, leading one to believe that they each evolved to become more functional for each species over time. This simple fact alone is one that really sticks with me, and is the most important idea that I am getting from this book. The idea of natural selection, and the fact that I now understand it fully, helps me to understand the history of life on earth and how everything came to be what it is today. The history of life on earth has always been a hotly contested subject across the world, and even within my own head. However, after reading this book with an open mind, I learned not only about the origin of species, but gained a better understanding of life on earth as a whole.