This document provides an overview of speciation and the formation of new species. It discusses genetic equilibrium in populations and the factors that can disrupt it, such as mutation, migration, genetic drift and natural selection. When isolated populations experience disruptions to genetic equilibrium over long periods of time, reproductive barriers can form, leading to the emergence of new species. The document outlines various mechanisms of speciation, including geographic isolation of populations, and provides examples of speciation observed in Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands.