Chapter 10: On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings Summary and Analysis

There is much evidence in the geological record which supports the theory of natural selection and which undermines the belief that the species are unchanging and were created independently. First, the geological record show that new species consistently appear at a gradual rate throughout the fossil record. Species that now exist do not generally appear in any ancient fossil records, but only in the most recent. This shows a gradual succession of different species over the course of the world's history. Furthermore, this succession of species is gradual, as some formations show the extinction (or appearance) of a given species at earlier or later dates than other formations. In addition, variation of species is not always consistent or equal among different types of species or genera. In...