1973: Theodosius Dobzhansky’s essay Nothing in Biology Makes Sense except in the Light of Evolution is published [49]

Art Piece: View of the subterranean foundation of the mausoleum, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 18th Century [64]

Paper: Nothing in Biology Makes Sense except in the Light of Evolution [49]

In a largely influential piece, geneticist and evolutionary theorist Theodosius Dobzhansky [180] discussed how biology is built on the foundation of evolution, that nothing in biology makes sense without it. With evolution by natural selection being a driving force for many different concepts and areas in science, Dobzhansky’s words seem to ring very true. His words represent a paradigm shift in more people understanding just how influential evolution is in many different facets of academia, research, and science itself, showcasing how Darwin’s ideas have permeated throughout the centuries. The artwork above [64], a print detailing a “view of the subterranean foundation of the mausoleum,” is relevant to Dobzhansky’s thoughts — evolution is the foundation upon which the subsequent structure of biological scientific understanding is built, a strong foundation which has influenced much subsequent research. This is a very important paradigm shift, an acknowledgement of the legacy of Darwin’s ideas. The paper above [49] is that of Dobzhansky’s, where he discusses the significance of evolution to biology, a paradigm shift of greater recognition of Darwin’s ideas as being cornerstones of modern scientific thinking.