Evolution is among the most substantiated concepts in science and is the unifying theory of biological science. Charles Darwin co-originated, with Alfred Russel Wallace, the theory of evolution by natural selection. His masterwork, the 1859 "Origin of Species," offered ample evidence for evolution having occurred, as well as the first strong explanation for its mechanism, natural selection. Modern evolutionary theory incorporates these concepts: species change over time; genetic mutations are responsible for the changes; individuals with beneficial genetic mutations will survive preferentially compared with their competitors, in a process known as natural selection; those successful individuals' more numerous offspring will spread the beneficial genetic constructs throughout the population; when enough genetic changes reproductively isolate a population, that population has become a new species. Here you'll find news and information on evolution and the battle with proponents of so-called creation science.
Latest about Evolution
How fast does evolution happen?
Measuring the pace of evolution is tricky, but some species can evolve as quickly as a few generations.
Defense system common to all life came from 'Asgard'
Defense systems found in all complex life, including the human body, came from primeval microbes known as 'Asgards.'
Evolution: Facts about the processes that shape the diversity of life on Earth
Discover interesting facts about how evolution works, the different patterns that can emerge from evolution, how quickly organisms can evolve, and whether evolution is a random or ordered process
What is the 'tree of life'?
The tree of life maps out the relationships between all living things, and it's in constant flux.
Continental collision 2.1 billion years ago may have sparked '1st attempt' at complex life on Earth
Researchers have laid out the case for complex life evolving 2.1 billion years ago, but not everyone is convinced it started so early.
Human origins tied to ancient jawless blood-sucking fish
Researchers have traced cell origins critical to vertebrate evolution by studying a group of primitive, bloodsucking fish called lampreys.
Last Chance Lake: The unusual 'soda lake' with conditions that may have given rise to life on Earth
Scientists consider Last Chance Lake to be an analog for lakes that may have existed on Earth 4 billion years ago and contained the ingredients for early life on our planet.
Human ancestor 'Lucy' was hairless, new research suggests. Here's why that matters.
Lucy is popularly depicted as being hairy, but new evidence suggests she wasn't. The discovery prompts new questions about the history of nudity.
