On the Origin of Species | Study Guide

Charles Darwin wrote On the Origin of Species to explain his theory of natural selection—which argues traits advantageous to the survival of a species are those that perpetuate over time. The theory was born out of years of reflection on geological and natural processes Darwin observed during his voyage on the HMS Beagle. The work was controversial for its time. However, the processes Darwin describes in On the Origin of Species were already known by numerous scientists in the 19th century. These processes had been described by various researchers prior to the book's publication but had not been put forth as part of a comprehensive theory. Equally, while a community of scientists endorsed Darwin's theory of natural selection, a portion of the scientific community had yet to accept the age of Earth. Furthermore, they rejected uniformitarianism—the theory geological changes are the result of continuous and uniform processes—and maintained their belief in creationism—the idea all species have been created by an "intelligent designer," or higher power. Darwin's work has remained immensely influential within the scientific community, providing the basis for much of biological and ecological work today. He remains a prominent figure in the 21st century due to his theory of evolution and its controversial implications for the idea of creationism.