Natural Selection

Charles Darwin

A British naturalist known for proposing the theory of biological evolution by natural selection.

Evolution

The process by which populations and species of organisms change over time, defined by Darwin as 'descent with modification'.

Natural Selection

The mechanism proposed by Darwin for evolution, where heritable traits that favor survival and reproduction become more common in a population.

Descent with Modification

Darwin's term for evolution, indicating that species change over time and have common ancestry.

Heritable Traits

Characteristics that can be passed from parents to offspring, playing a crucial role in natural selection.

Galápagos Islands

A key location where Darwin observed variations in species, particularly finches, leading to insights on evolution.

On the Origin of Species

Darwin's influential book from the 1850s that introduced his theories of evolution and natural selection.

Adaptation

The process through which populations become better suited to their environments over time.

Common Ancestor

A shared lineage from which multiple species diverge, as described in Darwin’s evolutionary theory.

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, forming part of the tree of life.

Survival of the Fittest

A phrase that describes the mechanism of natural selection, where organisms best adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

HMS Beagle

The ship on which Darwin traveled for five years, conducting research that influenced his ideas on evolution.

Variation

Differences among individuals in a population, a prerequisite for natural selection to occur.

Mutations

Random changes in DNA that can lead to new heritable traits, the source of genetic variation.

Tree of Life

A metaphor describing the interconnectedness of all species through common ancestry and evolution.

Fitness

The relative ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment, often determined by heritable traits.