Who proposed a theory of evolution by natural selection that was similar to Darwins theory?

Answer 1

While he was studying finches (small birds) on different islands, he noticed that although they were from the same species, they were different. He soon discovered that species change over time and adapt to their environment.

Answer 2

yes

Alfred Russel Wallace wrote an essay called "On The Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely From the Original Type", which outlined a nearly identical theory independently of Charles Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection.

Wallace sent the essay to Darwin, for his opinion. Upon reading it Darwin was prompted to publish his own theory which he had been writing for many years.

Though Darwin got all the credit, he did in fact submit Wallace's essay along side his own to the Linnean Society of London.

Answer 3

No. Everyone does not agree with Darwin's theory. Part of the reason is because it is what is called, a first order theorem. Like all first order theorems, it can never be proven, only disproven. In that way it is like the Theory of Relativity. There is no theory that either one is a part of. People have tried to come up with tests that will disprove the Theory of Relativity and so far have not. Likewise, No one has come up with any test that disproves Darwin's theory. The problem with so called disproofs is "The absence of evidence is not evidence of absence." Claims of "Missing links" do not disprove Darwin.

Another Answer

No. And to be fair, some of the details Darwin did get wrong - in particular, he didn't know about genetics and assumed offspring inherited through the blood of the parents.

One school of thought was that animals could evolve very quickly (in geological terms); essentially this theory was that a species could sprout eyes or ears (say) in a few generations - rather like the X-Men - generating super powers. This belief persisted, although there was no mechanism to explain how it could happen, for many years.

The founder of the Natural History Museum (Richard Owen) who coined the name dinosaur disagreed with Darwin. Unfortunately, this may have been a little jelousy on Owen's part - Owen and Darwin had been friends, but Owen probably considered Darwin something of a junior partner in natural history.

Some scientists disagreed because Darwin's theory required an old Earth; in Darwin's time, there was no way of measuring the age of the Earth other than informed speculation. One scientist who had tried an estimate based on how long it would take to lay down limestone came up with a number so huge that he divided by ten - in fact he was quite accurate in the first place.

The Catholic church disagreed with Darwin for around 190 years; only very recently did the Pope actually concede that evolution was the explanation.

Answer 4

Most Europeans thought all species were created shortly after the world was created, and that creation was fairly recent (within the past ten to twenty thousand years).

The reasons for this belief were primarily religious rather than scientific, but then again three hundred years ago the extent of scientific knowledge was fairly limited. When Charles Darwin wrote his theory, the incandescent electric bulb had yet to be invented. When he was sailing on the Beagle the electric telegraph was not in common use.

The Linnaeus system of classification had been devised, and enjoyed widespread use among naturalists, but the notion the nested hierarchy might represent ancestral relationships was only vaguely dawning on some people. Charles Darwin seized this idea and built it into the foundational theory of Biology.

Answer 5

Alfred Wallace

Answer 6

Alfred Russel Wallace.

Answer 7

Alfred Wallace.

Answer 8

Alfred Russel Wallace.