In 1858, Darwin received a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace describing a theory nearly identical to his theory of natural selection. How did Darwin respond?

• A. He ignored the letter and quickly published his own short paper.
• B. He immediately published his book “On the Origin of Species”.
• C. He quickly published his own paper jointly with Wallace’s letter.
• D. He published the letter from Wallace first, and waited to publish his ideas until he had finished his book “On the Origin of Species”.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the historical context: In 1858, both Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace independently developed similar theories of natural selection.
2. Recognize the significance of Wallace's letter: Wallace's letter to Darwin outlined a theory of natural selection that closely mirrored Darwin's own ideas.
3. Consider Darwin's response: Darwin chose to act ethically and collaboratively by arranging for a joint presentation of his and Wallace's ideas.
4. Acknowledge the joint presentation: Darwin and Wallace's theories were presented together at the Linnean Society of London in 1858.
5. Note the subsequent publication: Darwin later published his comprehensive work, 'On the Origin of Species', in 1859, which expanded on the ideas presented in the joint paper.