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The Evolution of an Idea • Early ideas about the origin of life were strongly influenced by religion and philosophy • It was thought that all forms of life have existed, unchanged since their creation. • Starting in the 1600s scholars began using empirical studies (observation and experiment) to study the natural environment. Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1798) • 1735 – published Systema Naturae. • He identified species using a standard nomenclature. Species genus genera family order kingdom • Modified slightly to became the standard way of classifying organisms. Georges-Louis Lecierc, Comte de Buffon (1707-1788) • Speculated that humans and apes have a common ancestor. • Suggested that as a species moved to new habitats, the organic particles it was made up of changed… thereby changing the species. • Thought earth was older than 7000 yrs (which was commonly believed). Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) • 1798 – An Essay on the Principle of Population… • Proposed populations increase geometrically, but food production increased arithmetically • When food ran out a struggle for existence would follow Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) • Began the development of paleontology – the study of ancient life through the examination of fossils • Strata (layers of rock) are characterized by a unique group of fossil species • Species appeared and disappeared (extinction) over time. • Proposed Catastrophism – The idea that catastrophes (e.g. floods, disease, droughts) destroy regions, allowing for neighbouring species to repopulate area. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) • “Line of descent” between fossil forms and current species. • Organisms become more complex over time • Proposed the inheritance of acquired characteristics – The idea that characteristics acquired during an organism’s lifetime can be passed onto its offspring. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Charles Lyell (1797-1875) • Rejected Catastrophism • Suggested Uniformitarianism: – Geological processes operated at the same rates in the past as they do today. – Slow and subtle change over long periods of time Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) • Sent Darwin his theory in 1858 • Reached conclusions that were similar to Darwin’s at around the same time (was working independently). Charles Darwin (1809-1882) • Took the HMS beagle (survey ship) in 1831 around much of the world. • Developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. – Theory explaining how life has changed, and is still changing • Published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1860.