Darwin argued that natural selection was the process for how evolution works. The only issue that he had was that he could not prove it. One of the arguments he made to convince people that evolution happened through natural selection was information from the geologic record. Darwin talks about various ages found in the rock layers and fossils that are associated with them. The fossils show differences through time. However, the fossil records do not show all of the connections between one species to another (Darwin, p. 486-488). This missing data in the fossil record can destroy or help the theory of evolution because that information can change the foundation of biologic history.
The most convincing part of his argument is the use of the fossil record to support his argument. With a paleontology background, I have studied life through time. I have studied how new evidence has changed current ideas for evolution. One of the most commonly heard theories with more evidence being found is birds being descendants of dinosaurs. The original thought was that dinosaurs were reptiles, but as paleontologists found more fossils, studied the fossils in more details, and conducted experiments are today’s animals, the idea of dinosaurs being reptiles changed to dinosaurs being the ancestors of birds. However, the argument for missing links in the fossil record, or other types of records, are used for either side of the argument of evolution. The future finding of missing links will determine how biology and history will be written and understood.