Charles Darwin's theory of evolution radically changed the way we understand how living beings, including humans, came to be. Before Darwin, most people believed in the creationist theory, which said that everything was created by God exactly as we know it today, with no changes. According to that idea, humans, animals, and plants were made in their current form, without evolving.
But Darwin came up with a different idea. He proposed that living beings change over time through a process called "natural selection." This means that individuals best suited to their environment survive and reproduce, passing those traits on to future generations. Those that don't adapt eventually disappear. Over millions of years, these small changes led to big transformations, explaining the incredible diversity of life on Earth. Darwin also suggested that humans were not always the way we are now, but instead evolved from primate ancestors through a long, complex process.
Human evolution started with Australopithecus, who lived about 4 million years ago. They already walked on two legs but still had small brains and didn't use tools. Then came Homo habilis, around 2.5 million years ago, who had learned to use basic tools. Next, Homo erectus appeared, a major leap because these humans controlled fire and began migrating out of Africa. Later, the Neanderthals emerged, living in Europe and Asia. They were strong and intelligent but eventually became extinct. Finally, around 200,000 years ago, our species appeared: Homo sapiens. What made us different was our ability to think more complexly, use advanced tools, and, most importantly, communicate and collaborate with each other.
The impact of Darwin’s theory on science was huge. It shattered the creationist idea that everything was created in a fixed and unchanging way, and showed that life is constantly evolving. His theory explained not only how different species came into existence, but also how we humans evolved from primates. This opened the door to new areas of study, like genetics and paleontology, which confirmed that evolution is real and still happening.
Today, Darwin's theory of evolution is the foundation of many scientific disciplines, such as biology and medicine. It helps us understand diverse phenomena, like the origin of new species, how diseases evolve, and how living organisms adapt to their environment. The idea of a static creation has been replaced by this scientific view that connects all living beings in a long, fascinating, and ongoing process of evolution.
