In 1809, prominent naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed a theory for the evolution of species. According to his theory, which was known as transmutation of species, organisms gain physical traits during their lives that allow them to adapt to their environments. These organisms then pass their acquired physical traits down to their offspring. This process, according to Lamarck's theory, explains the way in which species have become adapted to their environments. Which of the following observations most likely demonstrated the inaccuracy of this theory?

Question

Kelvin Reeves

Biology

4 July, 04:13

In 1809, prominent naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed a theory for the evolution of species. According to his theory, which was known as transmutation of species, organisms gain physical traits during their lives that allow them to adapt to their environments. These organisms then pass their acquired physical traits down to their offspring. This process, according to Lamarck's theory, explains the way in which species have become adapted to their environments. Which of the following observations most likely demonstrated the inaccuracy of this theory?

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Emmett Small · Answer 1

The answer is: Organisms will not pass acquired physical traits to the next generation.

In his theory, Lamarck proposed how species adapted to the changed environment by passing down acquired physical traits to the next generation. But, after Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution, Lamarck's theory was rejected. Now, it is known that acquired physical traits could not be inherited and epigenetics is a good proof for that.