what is natural selection 
in modern biology natural selection is a process whereby species which have traits that enable them to adapt in an environment survive and reproduce and then pass on their genes to the next generation natural selection means that species that can adapt to a specific environment will grow in numbers and eventually greatly outnumber those species that cannot adapt the natural selection process enables a species to better adapt to its environment by changing its genetic configuration with every new generation these changes are gradual and may occur over thousands of years although in some instances natural selection may occur much faster especially in species with short life spans and rapid reproduction rates 