Genetics and the Origin of Species

Genetics and the Origin of Species is a 1937 book by the Ukrainian-American evolutionary biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky. It is regarded as one of the most important works of modern synthesis and was one of the earliest. The book popularized the work of population genetics to other biologists and influenced their appreciation for the genetic basis of evolution.

In his book Dobzhansky applied the theoretical work of Sewall Wright (1889–1988) to the study of natural populations. Dobzhansky uses theories of mutation, natural selection, and speciation to explain the habits of populations and the resulting effects on their genetic behavior. The book said evolution was a process that accounts for the diversity of all life on Earth. Dobzhansky said that evolution regarding the origin and nature of species, which at the time was deemed mysterious, had potential for progress.