What Led Charles Darwin to Suspect Organisms Change Over Time?

Observation during a trip to the Galapagos Island

During his trip to the Galapagos Island, Charles Darwin made a significant observation that sparked his curiosity and led him to suspect that organisms change over time.

One of the key observations that Darwin made was regarding the finches on the island. He noticed that the finches on the Galapagos Island resembled the finches on the mainland, but they were not the same species. This observation intrigued Darwin and raised questions about why these finches were different despite their similarities.

By closely studying the physical characteristics and behaviors of the finches, Darwin began to formulate his theory of evolution. He hypothesized that the finches had evolved over time to adapt to their specific environments on the different islands of the Galapagos archipelago.

Through further research and observations, Darwin developed his theory of natural selection, which became the foundation of modern evolutionary biology. The observation of the finches on the Galapagos Island was a crucial moment in Darwin's journey towards understanding the mechanisms of evolution.