Science
How the Theory of Evolution Has Changed Since Darwin
Many scientific fields have added to and changed our understanding of variation in populations over time
Charles Darwin was a nineteenth century naturalist who has long been the focal scientist for the theory of evolution, though he is only one of the many scientists who have contributed to compiling what is now known about this most basic biological fact — that populations change over time. Arguments against Darwin’s work tend to include misconceptions about the theory, and recent advances in science, particularly genetics, have found that he got a few things wrong. However, most of what he concluded from his observations on the Galapagos Islands and years of thoughtful consideration that followed has shaped our current understanding of how species originate.
Misconceptions
Before we can start to look at how our understanding of evolution has changed since Darwin, we have to clear up the misconceptions about this scientific theory. Many who argue against evolution in general point to Darwin’s “Descent of Man”, insisting that man could not have come from monkeys. However, this is not a part of the theory of evolution.
