Next four lectures will be devoted to evolutionary biology . One hypothesis is evolution . Creation stories are inherent in most cultures and have close ties with religion. Towards the end of the 1700's, scientists began being confronted with data that were difficult to reconcile with the scriptural notion of creation. Used parts increase in size, disused parts decrease in size.
Modifications occur during the lifespan of the organism and are passed on to their offspring.
The Beagle sailed in December of 1831 and did not return to England until October of 1836. Voyage included the Cape Verde and Canary Islands, South America, the Galapagos Islands, Australia and Africa. Darwin was apparently sea-sick from the moment the Beagle hit the English Channel until the voyage was over. By the early 1840's, Darwin had written up a detailed treatment of his theory of evolution. In the manuscript, Wallace proposed a theory of evolution virtually identical to the one Darwin had been sitting on for nearly 20 years.