On The Likely Origin Of Species

Einstein once famously proclaimed: "Make things as simple as you possibly can, but no simpler." This book is an attempt to do precisely that, and in the process to take lay readers on a voyage all the way from the Big Bang to the human species. In doing so, it avoids both the simplistic neo-Darwinian idea that everything happens by pure chance and the unscientific notion that if we want to know how our universe came to be, all we have to do is read our bibles. Suarez presents here a rigorous and also entertaining description of life from the moment (approximately 13.7 billion years ago) when total darkness gave way to blinding light, and from there all the way to the present. It tackles the mystery of biogenesis - that is to say the moment when chemicals, which did not seem predisposed to arrange themselves into something more complex, somehow overcame the tendency to break apart and instead combined into something as harmonious and perfectly synchronized as a living cell. In between the singularity that marked the beginning of all matter and the wondrous complexity of the human mind, the author tackles the inflationary moment, Dark Energy, the Second Law, biogenesis and the so-called "missing link," using analogies, stories, and quotes from history's great thinkers. The book does not solve the four mysteries of natural history, but it provides the reader insights by which to weigh to what extent modern science has solved them and to what extent they remain scientific voids that beg for a metaphysical explanation. At the very end, a theory is put forth that connects two of science's four great mysteries. If true, the philosophical implications are so startling that it makes reading the book worthwhile just to ponder the possibility that Suarez may be right about that connection.

On the Origin of Species, published on 24 November 1859, is a work of scientific literature by Charles Darwin which is considered to be the foundation of evolutionary biology. Its full title was On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. For the sixth edition of 1872, the short title was changed to The Origin of Species. Darwin's book introduced the scientific theory that populations evolve over the course of generations through a process of natural selection. It presented a body of evidence that the diversity of life arose by common descent through a branching pattern of evolution. Darwin included evidence that he had gathered on the Beagle expedition in the 1830s and his subsequent findings from research, correspondence, and experimentation.Various evolutionary ideas had already been proposed to explain new findings in biology. There was growing support for such ideas among dissident anatomists and the general public, but during the first half of the 19th century the English scientific establishment was closely tied to the Church of England, while science was part of natural theology. Ideas about the transmutation of species were controversial as they conflicted with the beliefs that species were unchanging parts of a designed hierarchy and that humans were unique, unrelated to other animals. The political and theological implications were intensely debated, but transmutation was not accepted by the scientific mainstream.The book was written for non-specialist readers and attracted widespread interest upon its publication. As Darwin was an eminent scientist, his findings were taken seriously and the evidence he presented generated scientific, philosophical, and religious discussion. The debate over the book contributed to the campaign by T. H. Huxley and his fellow members of the X Club to secularise science by promoting scientific naturalism. Within two decades there was widespread scientific agreement that evolution, with a branching pattern of common descent, had occurred, but scientists were slow to give natural selection the significance that Darwin thought appropriate. During the "eclipse of Darwinism" from the 1880s to the 1930s, various other mechanisms of evolution were given more credit. With the development of the modern evolutionary synthesis in the 1930s and 1940s, Darwin's concept of evolutionary adaptation through natural selection became central to modern evolutionary theory, and it has now become the unifying concept of the life sciences.Summary of Darwin's theory:Darwin's theory of evolution is based on key facts and the inferences drawn from them, which biologist Ernst Mayr summarised as follows: * Every species is fertile enough that if all offspring survived to reproduce the population would grow (fact).* Despite periodic fluctuations, populations remain roughly the same size (fact).* Resources such as food are limited and are relatively stable over time (fact).* A struggle for survival ensues (inference).* Individuals in a population vary significantly from one another (fact).* Much of this variation is inheritable (fact).* Individuals less suited to the environment are less likely to survive and less likely to reproduce; individuals more suited to the environment are more likely to survive and more likely to reproduce and leave their inheritable traits to future generations, which produces the process of natural selection (inference).* This slowly effected process results in populations changing to adapt to their environments, and ultimately, these variations accumulate over time to form new species (inference).

This volume marks a new approach to a seminal work of the new modern scientific imagination. Darwin's central theory of natural selection neither originated nor could be contained within the natural sciences, but continues to shape and challenge our most basic assumptions about human social and political life. Seven readings, crossing the fields of history, literature, sociology, anthropology and the history of science, demonstate the complex position of the text within the cultural debates past and present.

There is only one other book that is so widely known, discussed, and debated, yet so rarely read: that other book is the Bible. To make my point, here is a little quiz: 1) Which name is most closely associated with the theory of evolution? 2) Which book did this person write on evolution? 3) What claims are made in that book? 4) What else is contained in that book? With astonishing regularity, the average literate adult will respond as follows: 1) Darwin, 2) Origin of Species, 3) Humans descended from apes, and 4) I have no idea. The first two are correct, the third is absolutely false, and the fourth is an admission of complete ignorance. Considering that 'Origin of Species' is long, and took nearly two decades to write, one would expect it to contain something more than the four simple words 'Humans descended from apes, ' which, in fact, it neither contains nor implies. So, what DOES it contain? There is one word that best summarizes the bulk of Darwin's magnum opus: 'observation'. It is a lengthy book; at times it is tedious, at times politically incorrect, and at times scientifically off-base. But, despite its numerous flaws, it is one of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind. Even if you are among the few who refuse to accept Darwin's ideas, you cannot deny their impact. The theory is the cornerstone--if not the very foundation--of modern biology. Whatever your preconceptions, you will likely be surprised by this work. Darwin was the consummate naturalist and scientist, as well as a refined and articulate gentleman. 'Origin' is a delight and an epiphany to read. It's amazing how much Darwin got right, despite the fact that he had essentially no idea of how inheritance worked. It's amazing how much data Darwin carefully assembled, analyzed, and described. It's amazing how meticulously Darwin weighed the evidence, noting when competing theories made different predictions, when the available evidence was not what he would have expected, and what future evidence could completely discredit (falsify) his theory. It's amazing in its honesty. The misconceptions about 'Origin of Species' are not merely rampant, they are effectively universal, fueled (largely in the US) by the rise of creationism, which seeks first and foremost to vilify the theory of evolution as well as Darwin (often failing to distinguish between the two). It's worth the time to read this enormous but meticulously crafted volume, if only to allow you to form your own opinions about such an influential book. Once you have, take the little quiz again. You may need all the pages to answer the last question.

Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Biology is the definitive go-to reference in the field of evolutionary biology. It provides a fully comprehensive review of the field in an easy to search structure. Under the collective leadership of fifteen distinguished section editors, it is comprised of articles written by leading experts in the field, providing a full review of the current status of each topic. The articles are up-to-date and fully illustrated with in-text references that allow readers to easily access primary literature. While all entries are authoritative and valuable to those with advanced understanding of evolutionary biology, they are also intended to be accessible to both advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Broad topics include the history of evolutionary biology, population genetics, quantitative genetics; speciation, life history evolution, evolution of sex and mating systems, evolutionary biogeography, evolutionary developmental biology, molecular and genome evolution, coevolution, phylogenetic methods, microbial evolution, diversification of plants and fungi, diversification of animals, and applied evolution. Presents fully comprehensive content, allowing easy access to fundamental information and links to primary research Contains concise articles by leading experts in the field that ensures current coverage of each topic Provides ancillary learning tools like tables, illustrations, and multimedia features to assist with the comprehension process

Benefit from Chapter Wise & Section wise Question Bank Series for Class 10 CBSE Board Examinations (2022) with our Most Likely CBSE Question Bank for Science having Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Subject Wise books designed to prepare and practice effectively each subject at a time. Our Most Probable Question Bank highlights the knowledge based and skill based questions such as Summary, MCQs, Reasoning Based Questions, Very Short Questions, Formula Based Questions, Short Questions, Diagram Based Questions, Differentiate Between, Analysis and Evaluation Based , Practical Based Questions, Numericals, Assertion and Reasoning Based Questions, Creating Based Questions, Case Based Questions, and Test Your Knowledge. Our handbook will help you study and practice well at home. How can you benefit from Gurukul Most Likely CBSE Science Question Bank for 10th Class? Our handbook is strictly based on the latest syllabus prescribed by the council and is categorized chapterwise topicwise to provide in depth knowledge of different concept questions and their weightage to prepare you for Class 10th CBSE Board Examinations 2022. 1. Focussed on New Objective Paper Pattern Questions 2. Includes Solved Board Exam Paper 2020 for both Delhi and outside Delhi (Set 1-3) and Toppers Answers 2019 3. Previous Years Board Question Papers Incorporated 4. Visual Interpretation as per latest CBSE Syllabus 5. Exam Oriented Effective Study Material provided for Self Study 6. Chapter Summary for Easy & Quick Revision 7. Having frequently asked questions from Compartment Paper, Foreign Paper, and latest Board Paper 8. Follows the Standard Marking Scheme of CBSE Board Our question bank also consists of numerous tips and tools to improve study techniques for any exam paper. Students can create vision boards to establish study schedules, and maintain study logs to measure their progress. With the help of our handbook, students can also identify patterns in question types and structures, allowing them to cultivate more efficient answering methods. Our book can also help in providing a comprehensive overview of important topics in each subject, making it easier for students to solve for the exams.

Major inconsistencies in Darwin's theory of the origin of species by natural selection remained unresolved for over a century until the results of recent research in various genome projects led to the theory's reinterpretation. Reviewing this new information, Donald Forsdyke, a laboratory scientist involved in genome research, wondered whether similar discoveries could have been made a century earlier, by one of Darwin's contemporaries. The Origin of Species Revisited describes his investigation into the history of evolutionary biology and its startling conclusion. The trail led first to Joseph Hooker and Thomas Huxley, who had been both the theory's strongest supporters and its most penetrating critics, and eventually to the Victorian George Romanes and Darwin's young research associate William Bateson. Although these men were well-known, their resolution of the origin of species paradox has either been ignored (Romanes), or ignored and reviled (Bateson). Four years after Darwin's death, Romanes published a theory of the origin of species by means of "physiological selection" that resolved the inconsistencies in Darwin's theory and introduced the idea of a "peculiarity" of the reproductive system that allowed selective fertility between "physiological complements." Forsdyke argues that the chemical basis of the origin of species by physiological selection is actually the species-dependent component of the base composition of DNA, showing that Romanes thus anticipated modern biochemistry. Using this new perspective Forsdyke considers some of the outstanding problems in biology and medicine, including the question of how "self" is distinguished from "not-self" by members of different species. Finally he examines the political and ideological forces that led to Romanes' contribution to evolutionary biology remaining unappreciated until now.

This book offers an introductory review to a wide range of thinking, formulated over the last half-millennium in the Western world, about the meaning of human existence. It will touch on a variety of issues of contemporary significance, such as the origin and uniqueness of the human species, freedom and determinism, the nature of good and evil, and the possibilities and limits of the sciences. The book will supply a number of explanatory comments, from a Christian perspective, on the various views uncovered. Insofar as human beings are fascinated by exploring the reality of their own selves, in relation to history, culture, the natural environment, and a variety of worldviews, this book will afford readers plenty of material to stimulate them in their own exploration.

The fish faunas of continental South and Central America constitute one of the greatest concentrations of aquatic diversity on Earth, consisting of about 10 percent of all living vertebrate species. Historical Biogeography of Neotropical Freshwater Fishes explores the evolutionary origins of this unique ecosystem. The chapters address central themes in the study of tropical biodiversity: why is the Amazon basin home to so many distinct evolutionary lineages? What roles do ecological specialization, speciation, and extinction play in the formation of regional assemblages? How do dispersal barriers contribute to isolation and diversification? Focusing on whole faunas rather than individual taxonomic groups, this volume shows that the area’s high regional diversity is not the result of recent diversification in lowland tropical rainforests. Rather, it is the product of species accumulating over tens of millions of years and across a continental arena.

This unique textbook by Gerald Rau surveys the six predominant models currently used to explain the origins of creation, of life, of species and of humans. Alongside his judicious account of the debate as a whole, Rau equips students with critical tools for evaluating the individual philosophies of science in play.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1871.

Invasive species have inspired concern for many reasons, including economic and environmental impacts in specific jurisdictions within particular countries. However, it is apparent that for some invasive plant species, political borders offer only weak barriers because these species have succeeded in invading many countries, emerging as threats at a global level. With this level of threat, a number of books on invasive plants and invasive species in general have been published in recent years, but none explicitly provides “global” coverage, perhaps because it is only recently that the full geographical, economic and environmental implications of widespread spread and adaptive nature of these particular invasive plants have been recognized. We plan to make this volume unique by profiling plant invasions in explicitly geographical contexts; on the world continents (Chapters 5-11), as well as islands (Chapter 12) and mountains (Chapter 13). This global approach is supported by an overview of invasion biology and recent advances (Chapter 1) and how different communities differ in invasibility (Chapter 2). Global factors influencing invasion are introduced in Chapter 3 (globalized trade) and Chapter 4 (climate change). Key species are profiled through geographic treatments, continent by continent (Chapters 5-11), and for islands (Chapter 12) and mountains (Chapter 13). The impact of invasive plants is highlighted in Chapter 14, both in biotic and economic terms, partly to counter the tendency for the young field of invasion biology to rely too much on anecdotal evidence. This chapters is also designed to bring home the message that these are serious problems that must be dealt with, as covered in the subsequent chapters. The book concludes with three chapters casting light on solutions to the many problems described in the rest of the volume. Chapter 15 features new, innovative technologies that are being developed to monitor and manage invasive plants, and Chapter 16 presents comprehensive strategies for public education and implementation of management on local and global scales. Chapter 17 describes different future scenarios depending on current trends in plant invasion and its management, just as climate change predictions employ various scenarios to project the future. The future is very much up to us, as humanity grapples with the question of how best to strategically meet the problems of global invasive plant problems that we ourselves have created that is further challenged by a changing climate. We are confident that this book will be of interest to invasion biologists, resource managers, and the legion of others who must deal with these invasive plants across the globe on a daily basis.

This book goes beyond the science versus religion dispute to ask why evolution is so often rejected as a legitimate scientific fact, focusing on a wide range of cognitive, socio-cultural, and motivational factors that make concepts such as evolution difficult to grasp.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1871. The publishing house Anatiposi publishes historical books as reprints. Due to their age, these books may have missing pages or inferior quality. Our aim is to preserve these books and make them available to the public so that they do not get lost.

Combining insights from observation, experimentation, and theory, The Origin, Expansion, and Demise of Plant Species offers a broad overview of species as dynamic entities that arise, have unique evolutionary histories, and ultimately go extinct. It begins with a review of species concepts and the exposition of a new concept; it then addresses plant speciation, the expansion of species from their narrow centers of origin, intraspecific differentiation, and contact zones between differentiated population systems. Special attention is given to the breakdown of cohesion among populations by reproductive and spatial barriers. Also, the ecological and genetic properties of small populations and fragmented population systems are discussed with a focus on the role of hybridization in the demise of species. It ends with an exploration of the longevity of species and the tempo of diversification, contrasting different groups of plants in these respects as well as in rates of chromosomal differentiation. This book provides a new synthesis of evolutionary biology and ecology. It examines species from their origins, then follows them through their expansion, differentiation and loss of cohesion, and decline and extinction. The stages in the lives of species are viewed through ecological and genetic theory, and topics typically addressed independently are woven into a continuous fabric. As the first synthetic treatment of the stages through which plant species pass, this book is very useful for botanists, evolutionary biologists, conservation biologists, as well as all curious students of the biological sciences.

“How can we develop microbial ecological theory?” The development of microbial ecological theory has a long way to reach its goal. Advances in microbial ecological techniques provide novel insights into microbial ecosystems. Articles in this book are challenging to determine the central and general tenets of the ecological theory that describes the features of microbial ecosystems. Their achievements expand the frontiers of current microbial ecology and propose the next step. Assemblage of these diverse articles hopefully helps to go on this long journey with many avenues for advancement of microbial ecology.