Patrick Matthew: The first natural selection proponent

Horticulturist Patrick Matthew developed a concept of evolution by natural selection that pre-dates Charles Darwin's by 27 years.

King's College London geneticist Michael Weale suggests Matthew should be given more recognition for his work.

"[Matthew] thought this wonderfully simple and elegant law, as he called it, of natural selection was actually proof of a design because it was so simple and elegant and allowed species to be changed in accordance to their needs," said Dr Weale.