Question

Name the scientist who propounded the ‘recapitulation theory’:

Options

• Darwin

• Malthus

• Weismann

• Haeckel

Answer 1

Haeckel

Explanation:

Ernst Haeckel, in 1866, proposed the recapitulation theory (also known as the biogenetic law), which states that ontogeny (the embryonic development of an organism) recapitulates phylogeny (the evolutionary history of the species). This means that during development, the embryo passes through stages resembling the adult forms of its evolutionary ancestors.