Evolution through Natural Selection
Both Darwin and Wallace simultaneously came up with a mechanism for how evolution operates. Their theories have been expanded and confirmed through detailed research.
They postulated that Natural Selection was the mechanism:
Organisms produce more offspring than can be supported by the environment.
There is a struggle to survive.
Only the fittest survive
The fittest, in different circumstances, could be the fastest or the slowest, the cleverest or the most stupid, the biggest, smallest, tallest or simply the luckiest. They could be the lucky one who just happened to have a mutated gene that provided immunity against a new virus.
Beneficial genes are selected
Given enough time, and we’ve had plenty of that, the selected changes and random mutations have created an amazing spectrum of life on this planet. It has been transformed from brown to green. Its atmosphere has changed from poisonous methane and ammonia to a gas laden with oxygen.
Animals have evolved with the miracle of consciousness (I use that word in a non-religious sense – more as recognition of the wonder and awe of its unlikelihood) and we are standing here able to comprehend, work out the mysteries, think, ponder and appreciate the beauty of it.
Life is truly wonderful. Breath deep!
Be glad for we live! It is a wonder!
Interesting post, Opher. Unfortunately, the attribute of technical intelligence that put humanity at the top of the food chain may well lead to our extinction.
Quite probably John. We keep thinking up better ways to kill ourselves.