Theory
Evolution
The change in heritable characteristics of populations over successive generations.
Updated Oct 26, 2026 · 1 min read · 3 connections
- Key work
- On the Origin of Species, 1859
- Mechanisms
- Selection, drift, mutation, gene flow
Mechanisms
Charles Darwin argued that species descend from common ancestors and are shaped by natural selection. The modern synthesis of the 20th century combined his ideas with genetics.
Molecular evidence
Comparisons of DNA sequences reveal how species are related, and the near-universal genetic code points to a single origin of life on Earth.