The hypothesis of punctuated equilibrium proposes that species evolution is characterized by long periods of relative stability (equilibrium), punctuated by short bursts of significant change or speciation. This model, introduced by paleontologists Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould, suggests that evolutionary changes are not gradual but occur in rapid shifts often linked to environmental changes or the emergence of new species. This contrasts with the traditional view of gradualism, emphasizing that most evolutionary change occurs in relatively brief geological periods, challenging the notion that species change uniformly over time.