On November 24th, 1859, one of the most revolutionary pieces of science was published. This piece is known as Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. Darwin’s theory argued that organisms gradually evolve through a process he called “natural selection.” In natural selection, organisms with genetic variations that suit their environment tend to propagate more descendants than organisms of the same species that lack the variation, thus influencing the overall genetic makeup of the species. Origin of Species sold out immediately. Most scientists quickly embraced the theory that solved so many puzzles of biological science, but orthodox Christians condemned the work as heresy.

By the time of Darwin’s death in 1882, his theory of evolution was generally accepted. In honor of his scientific work, he was buried in Westminster Abbey beside kings, queens, and other illustrious figures from British history. Subsequent developments in genetics and molecular biology led to modifications in accepted evolutionary theory, but Darwin’s ideas remain central to the field.

And so, with Darwin’s discoveries, we now know a whole lot more about where our species came from and how we evolved. Along with that we can also make assumptions on where certain species came from and how they all relate to each other. But most importantly, we can attempt to harness the ability to better our species through thorough scientific analysis and good old fashioned luck.