-
Period: to
Timeline of Charles Darwins contributions to science from birth to death.
-
Charles Darwin concieves the theory of natural selection
Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection explains the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype which is the composite of an organism's observable characteristics or traits. It's the key mechanism of evolution, the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These changes allow an organism to better adapt to its environment and help it survive and have more offspring. -
Charles Darwins solves the mystery of the formation of coral reefs and atolls
Charles Darwin's theory explained that various types of coral reefs could be explained by the uplift and subsidence of vast areas of the Earth's crust under the oceans. Reefs were formed by corals living in shallow depths of water. His theory set out a sequence of coral reef formation around an extinct volcanic island, becoming an atoll as the island and ocean floor subsided. -
Charles Darwin's The Decent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex
Charles Darwin applied his evolutionary theory to human evolution and details his theory of sexual selection. Darwin argues for the evolution of man that human beings are similar to other animals. Darwin explained sexual selection as a combination of "female choosiness" and "direct competition between males" also seen in animals. Darwin's theory outlined how different characteristics could be selected for if they conveyed a reproductive advantage to the individual.
