Who was the First to Actually Attempt to Explain the Mechanism

Question

Who was the first to actually attempt to explain the mechanism by which species change?
A) Carolus Linnaeus
B) Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
C) Charles Lyell
D) Charles Darwin
E) Erasmus Darwin

Accepted Answer

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was the first to attempt to explain the mechanism by which species change through the concept of "inheritance of acquired characteristics." He believed that organisms could pass on traits that they acquired during their lifetime to their offspring, ultimately leading to the evolution of new species.