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Period: to
James Hutton
theory of uniformitarianism in late 18th century.
natural forces now changing the shape of the earth's surface have been operating in the past much the same way. -
Period: to
Jean - Baptiste Lamarack
theory about these processes was incorrect.
believed that microscopic organisms appear spontaneously from inanimate materials and then transmute, or evolve, gradually and progressively into more complex forms through a constant striving for perfection.
inheritance of acquired characteristics. -
Period: to
Georges Cuvier
first scientist to document extinctions of ancient animals.
theory of catastrophism. -
Period: to
Charles Lyell
He believed that there primarily have been slower, progressive changes.
the earth must be very old and it has been subject to the same sort of natural processes in the past that operate today in shaping the land. These forces include erosion, earthquakes, glacial movements, volcanoes, and even the decomposition of plants and animals.
Lyell provided conclusive evidence for the theory of uniformitarianism. Forces changing the shape of earth's surface has been operting the same as in the past -
Period: to
Charles Darwin
Darwin's Theory of Evolution - Natural Selection.
All life is related and has descended from a common ancestor.
Complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. -
Period: to
Alfred Russel Wallace