Stephen Jay Gould argues that Darwinian evolutionary theory remains in a "vibrantly healthy state" over a century after *Origin of Species*. He explores evolutionary biology through thirty essays, many originally from *Natural History* magazine, organized into seven parts: "Reasonable Oddities," "Personalities," "Adaptation and Evolution," "Teilhard and Piltdown," "Science and Politics," "Extinction," and "A Zebra Trilogy." Gould presents the "peculiar and mysterious particulars of nature," revealing many wonderful manifestations of evolutionary biology. Readers will encounter diverse aspects of evolution, from specific biological phenomena to the history and context of scientific thought.
Key concepts
- Darwinian theory — The scientific explanation for the origin of species through natural selection.
- Evolutionary biology — The scientific study of the processes and outcomes of evolution.
- Reasonabale oddities — Peculiar or unusual biological traits or phenomena within nature.
- Adaptation and evolution — The process by which organisms develop traits that enhance their survival and reproduction in their environment.
- Extinction — The complete disappearance of a species from Earth.