of evolution. Whatexactly did Darwin propose, and why was it accepted by scientists?Darwin's theory is outlined below:1) Variation exists within members of the same species.2) Variation can be inherited. That is parents pass on their traits to their offsprinG.3) In nature, animals struggle to survive.4) Natural selection is a direct consequence of the first three observations. Darwin proposed that individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce. In other words, nature selects life with favorable characteristics and preserves it.5) Darwin documented the small changes that can occur from one generation to the next. He then proposed that through numerous, successive, slight modifications, driven by natural selection, the descendants of simple animals evolved into complex animals.The first four observations are correct. The last one is flawed.Darwin observed and documented examples of small evolutionary changes (microevolution) and used these to explain large evolutionary changes (macroevolution). While this was poor judgement on his part, the idea has caught on. Modern science routinely sites examples of microevolution as proof that macroevolution is possible.A good example of extending microevolution to explain macroevolution is the peppered moth. So what is a peppered moth? This moth lives in England and it can either be black or speckled gray. During the industrial revolution, the trees that the moth is rested on during the day changed from lichen covered gray to soot colored black. The population of gray moths which dominated before the industrial revolution decreased as the population of the black moths increased. The cause of this change was linked to predation by birds. Before the revolution, the grey moths had a selective advantage because they blended in with the grey lichen. Birds had a difficult time seeing these moths.After the revolution, the black moths had a selective advantage, because the trees w...
