Science Common Sense

1640 - What is the development process of modern evolutionary theory from the perspective of the history of science?

Let me break it down for you:

1. Ancient Greece (500 BCE): Philosopher Aristotle thought living things changed over time, but couldn't explain why.

2. Naturalists (1600s-1800s): Scientists like Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Charles Bonnet suggested that living things can change over generations. But their ideas were not widely accepted.

3. Charles Darwin (1809-1882): Darwin traveled on a ship called the Beagle, where he collected many species. He realized that similar species were found in different places, which led him to think that species might change over time. He published 'On the Origin of Species' (1859), where he introduced the idea of Natural Selection.

4. Gregor Mendel (1822-1884): A monk who discovered Genetics by experimenting with pea plants. He showed how characters like flower color are passed down from parents to offspring.

5. Early 1900s: Scientists combined Darwin's Natural Selection with Mendel's Genetics to create the Modern Synthesis. This linked genetics to the change of species over time.

6. 1950s-1960s: The discovery of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick changed everything. It showed how genes are stored and passed down.

7. Modern Evolutionary Theory (1970s-present): The discovery of DNA and genetics confirmed Darwin's ideas about Natural Selection. Now, scientists study evolution by combining genetics, biology, and fossil records.

That's a quick trip through the history of evolutionary theory!