EVOLUTION

The Role of Natural Selection in the Process of Evolution

In the discourses of anthropology and biology, the concept of human evolution has always been dominant. Acclaimed naturalists and anthropology theorists have held profound views about evolution that although, date back to the 19th century, continue to influence the 21st century thought. Evolution is defined as the gradual change in allele frequencies over a long period of time. Although evolution is an undeniable fact, many people tend to associate the term “evolution” with the origin of life from a single universal ancestor. They also believe that there is sufficient evidence to back this notion. Nevertheless, a single universal ancestor or common descent, is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the theory of evolution. The phenomenon, does not only state how simple particles evolved into life, but further expounds on how, through several mechanisms such as genetic drift, mutation and natural selection. This essay will explore the theory of natural selection.

In his book, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”, Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, proposed the theory of natural selection or popularly known as ‘Darwinism’ derived from the idea of artificial selection. Alfred Russel Wallace, another scientist also had a similar idea. Natural selection states that in nature, organisms that are best adapted to a given set of environmental conditions are the only ones most likely to survive. It is the process by which diverse species adjust to their physical surroundings.

“It may metaphorically be said that natural selection is daily and hourly scrutinising, throughout the world, the slightest variations; rejecting those that are bad, preserving...

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...lution. In the agricultural sector, pest control is rife and has been practiced for millenniums. However, pests continue to mutate and adapt to become immune to the various insecticides applied to eradicate them. Clearly, this is natural selection at work. Recently, medical experts discovered an antibiotic resistant strain of the gonorrhoea bacteria that is taunted to be more hazardous than the HIV/AIDS. The class antibiotics used to be effective against the bacteria. The HIV virus too is known to evolve rapidly and overpower drugs meant to contain it. This can all be attributed to natural selection and evolution of this bacterias and viruses. The little changes in the genetic make up create new and different species that have adapted to the physical environment surrounding them. More than two hundred years later, Darwin’s theory has been profoundly explained.