Evolución vs Dios: por qué la teoría de Darwin fue revolucionaria | BBC Mundo

Summary

Before Darwin, most Western scientists believed humans and all creatures were divinely created. Charles Darwin revolutionized this view through his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle, where he observed fossils and the diverse species of the Galapagos Islands. Studying artificial selection and inspired by Malthus’ ideas on population growth, Darwin formulated the theory of natural selection, explaining how species adapt and evolve over time. His 1859 publication, *On the Origin of Species*, challenged traditional beliefs, placing humans within the evolutionary framework alongside other creatures. Today, Darwin’s insights remain foundational, demonstrating that life—and the planet—continually evolves.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Before the mid-19th century, most Western scientists believed humans and all creatures were created by God in His image.
• 🧬 Charles Darwin was the first to provide evidence explaining how evolution could occur through natural selection.
• 🚢 In 1831, Darwin joined the HMS Beagle as a naturalist, beginning a nearly five-year expedition collecting specimens and fossils.
• 🦥 Observing fossils like the Mylodon suggested connections between ancient and modern species, hinting at evolutionary processes.
• 🐢 On the Galapagos Islands, Darwin noticed tortoises with different shell shapes and neck lengths depending on their environment.
• 🌱 Studying artificial selection in breeding and gardening helped Darwin realize a similar process might occur naturally in the wild.
• ⚔️ Thomas Malthus’ ideas about population growth and resource limits helped Darwin understand the 'struggle for survival.'
• 💡 Darwin concluded that traits aiding survival and reproduction are passed to offspring, gradually creating new species.
• 📚 After 20 years of research, Darwin published *On the Origin of Species*, explaining that all species, including humans, descended from common ancestors.
• 🔬 Darwin’s theory challenged religious views, placing humans on the same evolutionary level as other creatures, and is now widely accepted by science.
• 🌱 Evolution explains the diversity of life on Earth through natural processes, without divine interference, and continues as the planet changes.

Q & A

What belief about the origin of humans was widely held by Western scientists before the mid-19th century?

Most Western scientists believed that God had created mankind in His own image and likeness, and that all creatures on Earth were conceived by a divine force.

Who was the first scientist to explain evolution with evidence?

Charles Darwin was the first to explain, with evidence, how evolution might occur through natural selection.

What was the significance of Darwin’s observations of the Mylodon fossil in South America?

Darwin noticed that the Mylodon was similar to the modern sloth but much larger, suggesting a possible link between ancient and current species, which hinted at evolution.

How did the Galapagos Islands influence Darwin’s understanding of species variation?

Darwin observed that giant tortoises on different islands had unique physical traits adapted to their specific environments, demonstrating natural variation within species.

What role did artificial selection play in shaping Darwin’s ideas?

By observing how humans selectively bred animals and plants to produce desired traits, Darwin realized that a similar process could occur in nature, which he later called natural selection.

How did Thomas Malthus’s work contribute to Darwin’s theory of natural selection?

Malthus suggested that population growth would outpace food supply, creating competition for survival. This idea helped Darwin understand that in nature, only the individuals best adapted to their environment would survive and reproduce.

What is the principle of natural selection according to Darwin?

Natural selection is the process where individuals with traits that improve their survival and reproduction are more likely to pass those traits to the next generation, eventually leading to the evolution of new species.

Why did Darwin delay publishing his work on evolution for twenty years?

Darwin wanted to gather irrefutable evidence before publishing because he knew his theory would be controversial and challenge established religious and scientific beliefs.

What prompted Darwin to finally publish 'On the Origin of Species'?

Darwin received a letter from Alfred Russell Wallace, who had independently reached the same conclusions about evolution by natural selection. To avoid Wallace taking sole credit, they presented a joint letter and Darwin later published his book.

How did Darwin’s theory change the view of humanity in relation to other species?

Darwin’s theory placed humans on the same evolutionary level as all other creatures, showing that species, including humans, descend from common ancestors rather than being independently created.

What has been the long-term impact of Darwin’s theory of evolution?

Over 150 years later, Darwin’s theory is widely accepted as fact. Scientific advances continue to confirm evolution, and even religious institutions, like the Catholic Church, have recognized that evolution can be compatible with faith under certain conditions.