The origin of life is an explanation from either an evolutionist’s standpoint or a creationist’s standpoint about where life started. An evolutionist, someone who believes in evolution, would believe that life started from a scientific explanation such as a chemical reaction or microorganisms on an outer space asteroid. Evolution is the slow change of a species over time to adapt to a new or changing environment. Charles Darwin discovered the Galapagos Islands while traveling the globe on the HMS Beagle. He noted that the animals from the islands and the coast of South America were similar in body structure and function.
This led to Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, which is a mechanism for change in populations that occurs when organisms with favorable variations for a particular environment survive, reproduce, and pass these variations on to the next generation. I believe in evolution and the theory that all animals evolved from a common ancestor. Three points support my idea of evolution: Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection, genetic mutations occurring in populations, and the fossil theory.
My first piece of evidence to support evolution is Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection. Some animals in the wild are prone to be prey to other animals. As a way to ensure that their species will not die out, the species will overproduce their offspring. For example, fish may lay hundreds to thousands of eggs, but only a fraction of those will actually live.
Another part of natural selection is that some variations are favorable, while others are not. This means that certain animals within a species gain advantageous traits, mate, and pass these genes down to future generations. Animals with unfavorable variations die out, leaving more room for stronger traits. Gradually, the younger generations with stronger traits become the dominant species. Occasionally, as the stronger genes are passed down in the gene pool, mutations occur.
Many of these mutations are helpful, staying in the gene pool and further differentiating the species. Harmful genes do not significantly affect the population, as it is unlikely that the organism carrying the mutation will survive. Over time, more and more helpful genes accumulate, eventually resulting in a whole new species. Fossils are traces of animals that lived long ago, either imprints or bones buried deep beneath the earth.
We can examine the fossils and grasp an idea of how the animal would have looked. We can also date the fossils using radiometric methods or by looking at their place in the geologic column. The geologic columns are layers of rock that have piled on top of each other over a long period of time. Using this method, scientists can figure out approximately how long ago the animal lived.
I believe in evolution because there is a lot of evidence supporting it, unlike creationism which seems like spontaneous generation. With increasing evidence, scientists may one day prove the theory of evolution, solving one of the world’s greatest mysteries.
