Despite its monumental reputation and importance in unifying the life-sciences by popularizing the theory of natural selection, On the Origin of Species rarely finds itself in many summer “to read” piles.  At over 500 pages, Darwin’s famed book is certainly no short read, but his original text still offers countless insights and surprises for those who give it the time.

For those of us who can’t find time to read On the Origin of Species, however, The New York Times has thankfully gathered a sampling of passages from the book, each selected by prominent scientists.  These are accompanied by reflections on the legacy of his theory.  The page also includes the original text in its entirety for those who would like to further explore this important work.

The selections can be found on The New York Times’ website.  To read about the Christian response to Darwin’s book, check out Question 6 at www.biologos.org.