Evolution is a theory that explains how organisms change and new species form, and is based on Charles Darwin’s concept of natural selection. It proposes that life evolves through the mutation and recombination of DNA and adaptation to the environment, and is illustrated with examples such as the Galapagos petrel.
Evolutionary theory is a theory that explains how all living things have changed as a result of evolution, and how new kinds of organisms have formed, through the factors or structures that have influenced evolution. Like theories in other fields of science, evolution is a theory that explains reality, and it can’t be proven right or wrong. However, it’s arguably the most debated theory because it offers an alternative to creationism, which many people believe in. So, when scientists try to prove evolution, they find new information that shapes the theory, while opponents point out gaps in the theory.
The Big Bang is a theory in physics that explains the beginning of the universe. It is based on Edwin Hubble’s observations that the universe is expanding, and just as the Big Bang theory explains the beginning of the universe, so does evolutionary theory explain the evolutionary structure of living things. Evolution manifests itself through the processes of replication, mutation, competition, natural selection, and gene immobility, where the concept of natural selection was first proposed by Charles Darwin. This concept is the closest thing to reality, and many people have been influenced by Darwin to accept the theory of evolution. However, since the publication of Darwin’s book The Origin of Species, the theory has been controversial. Even today, people’s reactions are mixed because people learn about evolution here and there and don’t get objective information.
Some people believe that humans evolved from chimpanzees, but this is incorrect. Evolutionists do not claim that humans evolved from chimpanzees. They believe that chimpanzees and humans are different species, but share the same ancestor. So, you might be wondering how a single animal could turn into a whole new species. A species is a group of animals that can interbreed with each other to produce reproductive offspring, and these offspring can interbreed with each other.
All living things are unique, which is an essential element of evolution. Individuals of the same species may look alike, but they have slightly different characteristics. The reason for these differences is genetics. All living things are made up of cells, and cells contain DNA, which carries information about the organism. This information gives the cells instructions on what to do and how to do it, and it determines the characteristics of each living thing. And every living thing has a unique set of DNA. Genes are slightly different in each individual, which is why they have different characteristics.
Nature favors as many subtle differences as possible. The main source of each individual’s uniqueness is the process of heredity. Organisms pass on their characteristics to their offspring in the form of DNA, and recombination and mutation change the DNA so that each offspring looks different from the next. Random recombination and mutation create individuals with random characteristics, which are then mixed and passed on. This is the reason for the diversity of individuals alive today.
This is where natural selection, the key to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, comes in. With each individual possessing different characteristics, nature selects the stronger and more favorable ones for survival, and the weaker ones will eventually disappear. Individuals with favorable traits survive and are able to pass on their enhanced traits to their offspring. Eventually, evolution emerges in the direction of the enhanced trait.
A good example of how this works is the case of cormorants on a remote island. A few hundred years ago, a small group of them migrated to the Galapagos for some reason. The island was a completely different environment for them. Without an abundance of natural enemies, it was a very comfortable environment for them, and they quickly multiplied and populated the island. As a result, food on the island became increasingly scarce. Now friends became competitors. That’s when natural selection stepped in. The birds developed slightly different beaks, which gave them differences and individuality, and allowed them to avoid competition with their peers. Some birds’ beaks were adapted to dig up worms from the ground, while others were adapted to crack the shells of seeds. As a result, the birds were able to segregate ecological niches to avoid competition. They began to preferentially mate with birds that used the same position, and over the generations these traits were reinforced. By now, the differences between the bug-eaters and seed-eaters had widened so much that they were unable to interbreed. This meant that different species arose. Today, there are 14 different species of wrens in the Galapagos. Each of these species shows that they descended from a common ancestor.
With so many different species descended from a common ancestor, it’s easy to understand why chimpanzees and humans are different species but have the same ancestor. Evolution does not proceed in a chain, but rather has a branched structure, like a tree. All living organisms are at the very tip of the tree, with a common ancestor at the root.
Another misconception about evolution is that there must be intermediate creatures. This comes from the misconception that evolution requires the existence of intermediate forms of life in the process of changing from a single animal to a completely new species. For example, consider two species, A and C. Assuming that A is the ancestor of C, people think we should look for an intermediate species, B. But even if we find a fossil of B, people will argue that we need to find another intermediate form between B and C. This is an infinite loop. This is an infinitely recursive argument. The fact that the fossil record is not complete also contributes to this misconception. In fact, a common lesson in geology is that only one in a million objects becomes a fossil. Furthermore, even the fossils that have been found are better understood as “key positions” in the evolutionary process rather than “intermediate organisms.
Although various opinions on evolution have existed since BC, Darwin’s theory of evolution is the most widely recognized. However, Darwin’s theory is not the only one. Since Darwin, many scientists have come up with different theories. The theory of punctuated equilibrium argues that evolution doesn’t happen over time, but rather rapidly due to sudden natural disasters. The selfish gene theory suggests that evolution should be understood in terms of genes, not individuals. Modern evolutionary theories consider other mechanisms of evolution besides Darwinian natural selection, and are based on genes and populations.
Evolution is a process, not an outcome. Darwin’s theory of evolution is representative and has been refined with the discovery of genes. However, it was controversial because it clashed with religion in its explanation of how humans came to be. Darwin’s theory of evolution is a theory, similar to the Big Bang theory, that explains the evolutionary process as a whole. Because its accuracy cannot be proven, evolutionary theory continues to be debated.
