Evolution is a theory which was put forward by Charles Darwin not too long ago. However, the theory was quickly adopted as something very plausible, and many scientists accept this as a proven theory nowadays. In this article we are going to take a look at whether evolution is true, and the top 5 reasons why scientists say that it is.

Evidence Exists about the Theory

Ok, I admit, evolution cannot be measured really. It happens far too slowly and nobody will ever live long enough to see evolution at work. However, small pieces of research in the laboratory have shown that fruit flies have evolved a bit under testing in order to cope with their environment. There are also numerous fossils around the world which show evolution at work, and whilst this doesn’t prove the theory, it does offer it a lot of credibility.

Examples of Evolution

I know I just said that it happens too slow to recognise. However, in controlled conditions, some scientists have witnessed natural selection at work, which is of course the backbone of the evolution theory. This controlled research has enabled us to see how populations adapt overtime to cope with their surroundings. Sure, we won’t witness full evolution, but there is certainly something at play here.

Common Homologies

Related organisms, whether it is an animal, or a plant have shown that they have similarities, all of these are gained from common ancestors. For example, did you know that frogs, rabbits, lizards and birds all come from a common ancestor? There is no other way to explain the way in which their feet are constructed. This is one of the main reasons why scientists believe in evolution, the theory is actually there in practical form and has shown how different species have adapted, and yet retain similar traits, despite them all being different ‘animals’ nowadays. We can even look at common DNA samples, despite being different creatures the same sort of DNA is inactive in each of them. This is no accident right?

Fossils

I am going to expand on the first point here. Fossils are a fantastic record of life that has happened in the past. Sure, we won’t ever be able to interact with the creatures that left these fossils, but we can certainly get an idea about their lives. In fact, if you line up fossils you can quite clearly see that evolution is happening over the course of these fossils. This is evidence that really cannot be argued.

Evidence of Natural Selection

There is clear evidence out there which shows that animals have had to adapted to the environments they live in. If they cannot adapt, then they die out. Ever wondered why animals have camouflage? This is because those animals have survived, they have managed to thrive in the environment that they live in. Or maybe let’s look at Darwin’s finches, he claimed that hard beaks are needed in areas where food is ‘harder’ to crunch, and this has been shown to be right.