The theory of evolution

進化的理論

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to complete tables of information about animals.

PROFESSOR: Biologists estimate there are between 5 and 15 million species of plants, animals, and micro-organisms living on Earth today, of which only about 1.5 million have been discovered and named. 15 years ago, biologists had only just begun to thoroughly explore the planet, in order to find and name these species. In 1848, the English naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace sailed for the Amazon, hoping to make his fame and fortune by discovering new species of animals. Unfortunately, after four years of hard work, on the way back to England his ship sank and he lost everything. But he never gave up.

PROFESSOR1: Two years later he sailed to the islands of the Malay Archipelago, now modern Indonesia. There, Wallace caught malaria and almost died. It was when he was feverish in bed he had his big idea - the strongest survive, and the weak die. Wallace had hit upon the theory of evolution. The theory of evolution claims that, over millions of years, all animals, including man, have evolved to suit the habitat or environment in which they live.

PROFESSOR2: And, due to the process of natural selection, only the biggest, tallest and strongest of those animals survived, to pass on their genes to their children. Unfortunately for Wallace, another, much more famous naturalist, Charles Darwin, was at the exact same time, working on the same theory. Even more unfortunate for Wallace, when he had finished his work describing his theory of evolution, the man who he sent his work to was ... Charles Darwin. Can you imagine Darwin, who had been working on his theory for twenty years, suddenly finds out some young naturalist has had the same idea. Darwin must have been furious!

PROFESSOR3: Darwin quickly went to work on his book "On The Origin of Species", which was published the following year, 1859. He became famous. Wallace, on the other hand, has almost been forgotten. Darwin won the fight to make sure that he was the one who was remembered. In science, as in nature, only the strongest survive.