While the concept of evolution has been around for centuries, the modern theory of evolution by natural selection was developed by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the mid-19th century.

* Charles Darwin is most famous for his book "On the Origin of Species," which presented a comprehensive theory of evolution by natural selection.

* Alfred Russel Wallace independently developed a similar theory and presented it alongside Darwin's work.

It's important to note that the theory of evolution has been further developed and refined by numerous scientists since Darwin and Wallace's time.