Description
Less than 450 years ago, all European scholars believed that the Earth was at the center of a Universe that was at most a few million miles in extent, and that the planets, sun, and stars all rotated around this center. Less than 250 years ago, they believed that the Universe was created
essentially in its present state about 6000 years ago. Even less than 150 years ago, the view that living species were the result of special creation by God was still dominant. The recognition by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace of the mechanism of evolution by natural selection has
completely transformed our understanding of the living world, including our own origins. In this Very Short Introduction Brian and Deborah Charlesworth provide a clear and concise summary of the process of evolution by natural selection, and how natural selection gives rise to adaptations and eventually, over many generations, to new species. They introduce the central concepts of the
field of evolutionary biology, as they have developed since Darwin and Wallace on the subject, over 140 years ago, and discuss some of the remaining questions regarding processes. They highlight the wide range of evidence for evolution, and the importance of an evolutionary understanding for
instance in combating the rapid evolution of resistance by bacteria to antibiotics and of HIV to antiviral drugs. This reissue includes some key updates to the main text and a completely updated Further Reading section. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Author: Brian Charlesworth, Deborah Charlesworth
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 10/01/2017
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.30lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.40w x 0.40d
ISBN13: 9780198804369
ISBN10: 0198804369
BISAC Categories:
- Science | Life Sciences | Evolution
- Science | Life Sciences | Genetics & Genomics
essentially in its present state about 6000 years ago. Even less than 150 years ago, the view that living species were the result of special creation by God was still dominant. The recognition by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace of the mechanism of evolution by natural selection has
completely transformed our understanding of the living world, including our own origins. In this Very Short Introduction Brian and Deborah Charlesworth provide a clear and concise summary of the process of evolution by natural selection, and how natural selection gives rise to adaptations and eventually, over many generations, to new species. They introduce the central concepts of the
field of evolutionary biology, as they have developed since Darwin and Wallace on the subject, over 140 years ago, and discuss some of the remaining questions regarding processes. They highlight the wide range of evidence for evolution, and the importance of an evolutionary understanding for
instance in combating the rapid evolution of resistance by bacteria to antibiotics and of HIV to antiviral drugs. This reissue includes some key updates to the main text and a completely updated Further Reading section. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Author: Brian Charlesworth, Deborah Charlesworth
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 10/01/2017
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.30lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.40w x 0.40d
ISBN13: 9780198804369
ISBN10: 0198804369
BISAC Categories:
- Science | Life Sciences | Evolution
- Science | Life Sciences | Genetics & Genomics
About the Author
Brian Charlesworth is a Senior Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, and former President of the Society for the Study of Evolution.