The study of human evolution is a young science with a history that can be traced back to the late 18th century. But it wasn’t until Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859 that the theory of evolution took hold. In the 150 years since Darwin’s book was published, our understanding of human evolution has changed dramatically. We’ve gone from thinking that God created us to understand that we share a common ancestor with apes. We’ve discovered fossils that have helped us piece together the story of our evolution, and we’ve developed new technologies that have allowed us to study our DNA in unprecedented detail.
Since Darwin’s centuries, our understanding of human evolution has been transformed. Here are some fundamental discoveries and events that have shaped our understanding of where we came from.
1859: Charles Darwin publishes On the Origin of Species
Darwin’s book was a game-changer for the study of human evolution. For the first time, there was a scientific theory that could explain how humans had come to be. Darwin’s theory of natural selection – the idea that organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce – was a revolutionary way of thinking about the natural world.
1865: Gregor Mendel publishes his laws of inheritance
Mendel’s work on inheritance laid the foundation for our understanding of genetics. His laws showed that characteristics are passed down from parents to their offspring predictably. This work was crucial for our understanding of how evolution works, as it showed that the process of natural selection is driven by the inheritance of genes.
1871: Darwin publishes The Descent of Man
In his second book on evolution, Darwin applied his theory of natural selection to humans. He argued that we had evolved from a common ancestor with apes and that the process of evolution was still going on. This was a controversial idea at the time, and Darwin faced a lot of criticism from religious figures who didn’t believe that humans could have evolved from animals.
1879: Ernst Haeckel proposes the recapitulation theory
Haeckel’s theory was based on the idea that embryos repeat the stages of evolution that their species went through. So, for example, a human embryo would start out looking like a fish, then a reptile, then a mammal, and finally a human. This theory was later disproven, but it was influential at the time and helped to solidify the idea that humans had evolved from other animals.
1891: Arthur Keith finds a skull in Tanzania
Keith’s discovery of the Olduvai skull was crucial in studying human evolution. The skull was of a species that was later named Homo erectus, and it showed that humans had once been much more primitive than we are now. This discovery showed that human evolution is a long and gradual process and that we are not the finished product.
1924: Raymond Dart discovers the Taung child
The discovery of the Taung child was another essential step in understanding human evolution. The child was of a species later named Australopithecus africanus, which showed that humans had once been small and ape-like. This discovery challenged the idea that humans had always been the same as we are now and showed that we have evolved over time.
1953: James Watson and Francis Crick discover the structure of DNA
Watson and Crick’s discovery of the double helix structure of DNA was a major breakthrough in our understanding of genetics. Their work showed that DNA is a code that carries information about an organism’s characteristics. This discovery paved the way for our understanding of how genes are passed down from generation to generation and how they can change over time.
1965: The first hominid fossil is found in Africa
The discovery of the first hominid fossil was a significant event in the study of human evolution. The fossil was of a species that was later named Homo habilis, and it showed that humans had once been very primitive. This discovery helped to fill in a major gap in our understanding of human evolution and showed that our ancestors were not the same as we are now.
1982: The first Neanderthal fossil is found in Europe
The discovery of the first Neanderthal fossil was a major event in studying human evolution. The fossil showed that humans were once much more primitive than we are now. This discovery helped to fill in a major gap in our understanding of human evolution and showed that our ancestors were not the same as we are now.
1997: The first Homo sapiens fossil is found in Africa
The discovery of the first Homo sapiens fossil was a major event in the study of human evolution. The fossil showed that humans had once been very primitive. This discovery helped to fill in a major gap in our understanding of human evolution and showed that our ancestors were not the same as we are now.
2003: The human genome is sequenced
Human genome sequencing was a breakthrough in our understanding of genetics. It showed that our DNA is a code that carries information about our characteristics. This discovery paved the way for our understanding of how genes are passed down from generation to generation and how they can change over time.
2009: The Australopithecus afarensis fossil is found in Africa
The discovery of the Australopithecus afarensis fossil was a significant event in studying human evolution. The fossil showed that humans had once been very primitive. This discovery helped fill a major gap in our understanding of human evolution and showed that our ancestors were not the same as we are now.
Today, the study of human evolution is an exciting and rapidly-growing field. We are constantly making discoveries that help us piece together our evolution story. And as our understanding of human evolution continues to grow, so too does our appreciation for the incredible journey that our species has taken.