B602; Scientific Views On The Origin Of Humanity

Question 1

What was devised by Charles Darwin?

Answer 1

The Origin of Species (1859)

Question 2

What did Darwin believe?

Answer 2

He believed that human life began with very simple cells that later developed into different species. From his
studies he saw species develop and continue to change to suit their surroundings and environment . He concluded that the species best suited to the environment would survive and reproduce to create a new, even better generation.

Question 3

What did he call this process?

Answer 3

Natural Selection

Question 4

Through his theory, what did Darwin recognise?

Answer 4

Humans must have evolved, he suggested that as we share similar DNA and features to apes it was a strong
possibility that humanity had begun as a well developed species of ape.