“He fished it out and threw it far yonder the fence!
Warning if it comes back then it will get its comeuppance!
He may be a giant in front of the small and irrelevant ant!
But it is a big issue when it gets into his pant!”
Long post alert!
Over so many blogs I have been trying to give credit where it is due when the credit is given wrongly or completely to one person! Like you have the invention of Light Bulb and all we have been told is Edison when such inventions are a team effort and series of efforts and not one person who got up one day with a light bulb in his hand!
My aim is not to belittle the known inventors but to state that some big discoveries and invention cannot be the work of one person! Like you cannot credit the freedom or independence of a nation to one person and take away the sacrifice of several other freedom fighters!
Today’s debunking involves someone who is so famous that even kids know his name!
Everyone knows the seminal work done by Charles Darwin on evolution when he published the Origin of species! In fact you must understand that he had kept his findings locked for several years without realizing their true worth! In fact he actually wanted to become a monk!
The book was revolutionary and altered the way we think about nature on this planet. Controversy still exists relating to many of the specifics proposed in this book, but Darwin’s work forever changed the course of scientific study into nature!
So much so that talk evolution and you cannot think of anyone else!
But there was another theorist, explorer and noted geographer whose work has contributed equally if not more about the initial understanding of the theory of evolution!
His name was Alfred Russel Wallace.
While his work garnered a certain amount of respect from his contemporaries, he also came up with the theory of evolution via natural selection entirely independently of Charles Darwin. At the time, Russel and Darwin worked quite closely, with Russel providing samples from his travels for Darwin to use as evidence for his upcoming book. This led Russel to propose his own theory regarding evolution that was nearly identical to Darwin’s. Though this was recognized during the time period, posterity has not been so kind to Russel.
Like fellow naturalist and colleague Charles Darwin, Wallace traveled the world, observing and collecting samples of species. He traveled to Brazil and various islands of the Malay Archipelago that make up modern-day Indonesia and the Philippines, where he collected thousands of specimens of insects, birds, and other animals but due to a marine tragedy all of Wallace’s notes and samples were lost at sea!
Despite this setback, Wallace set off on another voyage in 1854 to Southeast Asia to collect more samples. By 1855, his observations led him to the conclusion that living things change over long periods of time—they evolve. However, he could not explain how or why they evolve. Then, in 1858, while still in Southeast Asia, he became ill again. Wracked with a fever, he suffered hallucinations, but when the fever broke, the answer came to him—species evolve by adapting to their environment! The truth seeker in me though normally cringe at such stories since they may be exaggerated like the apple and Newton!
Wallace’s research on the geographic distribution of animals provided critical support for his evolutionary theories and led him to draw a boundary line through Southeast Asia that divides Asian and Australian animal groups. It signifies the unexpected distribution of animals on either side of the line. Several mammal, bird, and fish species are found in abundance on one side of the line and only in small numbers, or not at all, on the other side! This line, runs from the Indian Ocean to the Philippine Sea and is deservedly called The Wallace’s line! Some recognition albeit late!
Now while you can still make Wallace play second lead to Charles, he should be given the credit where its due! Playing second lead and actually doing a great job was the trademark of birthday celebrity Sreenivasan! Rest assured talent will shine one way or the other!
One of the biggest problem with the evolution is the upright posture which is why the only way we can sleep is down and straight! Pay your dues for being the so called evolved species and sleep!
Shubh ratri!
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