Then, the first small land plants, such as mosses and fungi, began to grow on the swampy shores. Evolution Today, there is an astonishing variety of life on Earth - yet every plant and animal has its own natural home or way of living. Every living thing, it seems, is perfectly suited to its surroundings. In 1859, an English naturalist called Charles Darwin explained this with the Theory of Evolution. He suggested that over millions of years plant and animal species gradually change or evolve, adapting to suit their surroundings.
Evolution depends on the fact that no two living things are quite alike.
So some plants or animals may start life with features that make them better able to survive. An animal, say, might have long legs that help it escape predators. A plant might have big leaves that help it grow better in shady places. Animals and plants with such valuable features have a better chance of surviving and having offspring who inherit these features. Those without the useful features are less likely to survive.