Cover of On the origin of species by means of natural selection

On the origin of species by means of natural selection

by Charles Darwin · first published 1859

10mentions
2recommended by
9HN commenters
2009–2026first – last mentioned

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Charles Darwin's seminal work laying the foundations for the principles of evolutionary biology via natural selection, based on evidence that he collected during his expedition on HMS Beagle in the 1830s.

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What Hacker News says

  • Allocator2008 · Apr 13, 2009 · Recommends

    The only book anyone, human or alien, really needs to read is - "On the Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection" by Charles Darwin, 1859. "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins, 1974 is a good appendum there as well but once mastering "Origin" one really has the basics one needs.

    on “Ask HN: What reading material would you provide to a visiting alien being?” ↗
  • thisrod · May 8, 2009 · Recommends

    Scientists have created the most beautiful and useful artifacts ever made. Think "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica", "On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection", "The Nature of the Chemical Bond", and "The Principles of Quantum Mechanics". Unfortunately, most people are too dumb and lazy to appreciate them. Picture Francis Crick, putting down his pen after…

    on “Why are scientists satisfied with studying existing artifacts rather than creating their own?” ↗
  • …their papers at the same time, so that both men would get credit for having independently discovered evolution. In the immediate aftermath, they both became famous. But after Darwin published his book On the origin of species by means of natural selection in 1859, he became known as the man who discovered evolution. Most people forgot about Wallace."

    on “Another person that discovered evolution besides Darwin” ↗
  • yters · May 24, 2019 · Mentions

    The full title of Darwin's work is "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life". So, as the other commentator says, evolution implies some races are "more favored" than others, i.e. superior. Outside the modern negative…

  • tokenadult · Nov 24, 2009 · Mentions

    Article submitted in honor of today's 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species It's a good summary of evidence for "descent with modification," as Darwin called…

    on “Evidence for Macroevolution: The Scientific Case for Common Descent” ↗
  • defrost · Feb 20, 2023 · Mentions

    > you can force all libraries to buy the new edition I'm sorry, what now? My local library here in Western Australia has a second edition of Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1860, 3000 copies). There's been no pressure that I'm aware of to acquire the first, third, fourth, fifth or sixth editions or the numerous…

    on “The rewriting of Roald Dahl is an act of cultural vandalism” ↗
  • enduser · Jun 4, 2026 · Mentions

    He famously wrote a book with that title, but he actually wrote a book titled On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.

    on “No, Artificial Intelligence is not Conscious - Ted Chiang” ↗
  • interestica · Nov 25, 2020 · Mentions

    …(https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/DarwinAppeal) The digitized notebooks are available: [1] https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-DAR-00121/1 [2] https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-DAR-00122/1 Also, yesterday was the anniversary of the release of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life on November 24, 1859. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species

    on “Charles Darwin notebooks lost and assumed stolen” ↗
  • …annihilate entire ethnic groups, the fears are not unfounded. Consider how many still fervantly endorse Darwinism. Consider this quote from his popular book (the title of which is often truncated): "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" “At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace…

    on “The Deadly Stupidities Around Ebola” ↗
  • interestica · Nov 25, 2020 · Mentions

    …(https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/DarwinAppeal) The digitized notebooks are available: [1] https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-DAR-00121/1 [2] https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-DAR-00122/1 Also, today is the anniversary of the release of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life on November 24, 1859. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Origin_of_Species

    on “Charles Darwin's notebooks reported stolen from Cambridge University” ↗

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