On the Origin of Species

‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.’

Considered as the foundation of evolutionary biology, Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking On the Origin of Species profoundly transformed the field of biology at the time, as well as contemporary religious beliefs.

First published in 1859, On the Origin of Species presents Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin argues that species evolve over time; individuals with superior traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. These favourable traits become more common in subsequent generations, leading to the gradual development of a new species. Darwin draws upon extensive evidence from biology, geology and the animal kingdom to support his theory, challenging the idea that species are fixed and unchanging. Revolutionary in its influence, On the Origin of Species laid the foundation for modern evolutionary biology, genetics and ecology.