The Darwin-Wallace Debate: A 19th Century Science Milestone

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

What was Charles Darwin's occupation during his travels on the HMS Beagle?

A naturalist (correct)

A navigator

A captain

A writer

What was the significance of Alfred Wallace's essay sent to Charles Darwin in 1858?

It outlined the process of natural selection

It discussed the tendency of varieties to diverge indefinitely from their original form (correct)

It introduced the concept of species mutation

It proposed the theory of species evolution

How many specimens did Alfred Wallace collect during his 70 voyages?

Over 50,000 specimens

Over 200,000 specimens

Over 125,000 specimens (correct)

Over 100,000 specimens

What was the title of Charles Darwin's foundational book on evolutionary biology?

On the Origin of Species Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the debate between Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace?

Darwin's theory was widely accepted, while Wallace's was rejected Signup and view all the answers

What do Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace propose about living beings?

They share a common ancestor Signup and view all the answers

¿Cuál fue el objetivo principal de los viajes de Charles Darwin en el HMS Beagle?

Estudiar la diversidad de las especies Signup and view all the answers

¿Qué fue lo que envió Alfred Wallace a Charles Darwin en 1858?

Un ensayo sobre la teoría de la selección natural Signup and view all the answers

¿Cuál fue el resultado de la publicación de 'El Origen de las Especies' de Charles Darwin?

La teoría de la selección natural se convirtió en la base de la biología evolutiva Signup and view all the answers

¿Qué término se acuñó en 1889 para describir las ideas de Darwin y Wallace?

Darwinismo Signup and view all the answers

¿Cuál fue el papel de Charles Lyell en la publicación de 'El Origen de las Especies'?

Amigo de Darwin que le pidió su apoyo para la publicación Signup and view all the answers

¿Qué fue lo que defendió Alfred Wallace después de la publicación de 'El Origen de las Especies'?

La teoría de la selección natural Signup and view all the answers

¿Cuál fue el resultado de la controversia entre Darwin y Wallace?

La teoría de la selección natural se convirtió en la base de la biología evolutiva Signup and view all the answers

¿Qué fue lo que recopiló Alfred Wallace durante sus 70 viajes?

Más de 125,000 especímenes Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

The Darwin-Wallace Debate

In the 19th century, two English adventurers, Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, asked similar questions and reached similar conclusions independently of each other.
Charles Darwin traveled on the HMS Beagle, visiting the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Salvador, and the Galapagos Islands, among other places.
During his travels, Darwin transformed into a renowned naturalist and began to understand the value of specimens he encountered.
Upon returning to England, Darwin became famous for his voyages and was celebrated by the British scientific community.

Alfred Wallace's Contributions

Alfred Wallace, another British scientist, traveled to inhospitable regions, making annotations and trying to understand the mechanism of species evolution.
Wallace collected over 125,000 specimens during his 70 voyages.

The Debate Unfolds

In 1858, Wallace sent a letter to Darwin, including an essay on the tendency of varieties to diverge indefinitely from their original form, similar to Darwin's own theory.
Both scientists proposed that organisms undergo perpetual change, and that all living beings share a common ancestor.
The debate sparked a public discussion, with Darwin publishing his book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859, a foundational work in evolutionary biology.
Although Wallace defended Darwin's theory, writing several articles, he didn't achieve the same level of recognition as Darwin.

The Darwin-Wallace Debate

Two English adventurers, Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, independently asked similar questions and reached similar conclusions about species evolution in the 19th century.

Charles Darwin's Contributions

Charles Darwin traveled on the HMS Beagle, visiting the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Salvador, and the Galapagos Islands.
During his travels, Darwin became a renowned naturalist and understood the value of specimens he encountered.
Upon returning to England, Darwin became famous for his voyages and was celebrated by the British scientific community.

Alfred Wallace's Contributions

Alfred Wallace traveled to inhospitable regions, making annotations and trying to understand the mechanism of species evolution.
Wallace collected over 125,000 specimens during his 70 voyages.

The Debate Unfolds

In 1858, Wallace sent a letter to Darwin, including an essay on the tendency of varieties to diverge indefinitely from their original form.
Both scientists proposed that organisms undergo perpetual change, and that all living beings share a common ancestor.
Darwin published his book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859, a foundational work in evolutionary biology.
Although Wallace defended Darwin's theory, writing several articles, he didn't achieve the same level of recognition as Darwin.

Darwin vs. Wallace Debate

In the 19th century, Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, two Englishmen, questioned the diversity of species and reached similar conclusions independently.

Darwin's Journey

Charles Darwin embarked on a journey on the HMS Beagle, visiting places like the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Salvador, Bahía, Patagonia, and the Galápagos Islands.
During this journey, Darwin became a renowned naturalist and understood the importance of the specimens he collected.

Wallace's Work

Meanwhile, Alfred Wallace took expeditions to inhospitable areas, also interested in answering the question of why so many different living species existed.
Wallace collected over 125,000 specimens in 70 trips, trying to uncover the mechanism of species evolution.

The Controversy

In 1858, Wallace sent a letter to Darwin with an essay on the tendency of varieties to diverge indefinitely from the original type, similar to Darwin's natural selection theory.
Both scientists concluded that species evolve and share a common origin, but tensions arose between them.

Darwin's Publication

Darwin communicated the matter to his friend Charles Lyell and requested his support for an immediate joint publication of their work.
In 1859, Darwin published his book "On the Origin of Species", which became the foundation of evolutionary biology.
Wallace defended the theory of natural selection and wrote articles responding to criticisms of Darwin's ideas.

Legacy

Darwin's theory of natural selection became the basis of evolutionary biology, while Wallace did not receive the same recognition.
In 1889, the term "Darwinism" was coined to describe the ideas of Darwin and Wallace.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Description

Explore the fascinating story of Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, two English adventurers who reached similar conclusions about natural selection independently of each other. Learn about Darwin's journey on the HMS Beagle and how it transformed him into a renowned naturalist.