 | |
| Born | 12 February 1809 Shrewsbury |
| Died | 19 April 1882 | Age 73 |
Charles Robert Darwin
Charles Darwin, born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors.
Origin of Species 1859
Darwin ( 12 February 1809 –19 April 1882) published his theory of evolution with compelling evidence in his 1859 book On the Origin of SpeciesHis theory of evolution by natural selection, now the unifying theory of the life sciences, explained where all of the astonishingly diverse kinds of living things came from and how they became exquisitely adapted to their particular environments.
Voyage on the Beagle
Darwin served as an unpaid naturalist on a science expedition on board HMS Beagle. In 1831, the Beagle sailed for South America where she completed extensive surveys, returning via New Zealand in 1836. The wide range of far off destinations opened Darwins mind to how this all fitted together. On the Galapagos Islands he noticed many variations of plants and animals that were similar to those he found in South America, suggesting that species adapted over time and to their environment.
Charles Darwin was not the first to propose a theory of evolution but his work was so compelling it could not be ignored.
