Charles Darwin

Overview

Charles Darwin is famous for his theory regarding natural selection which states "that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process" (Wikipedia) This theory has also greatly helped explain the theory of Evolution. Darwin's contribution towards the world of Science are the "foundations of Biology" (Wikipedia). Darwin started higher education in Medicine but soon discovered his interest in Theology and Geology. His idea's weren't always accepted and often created a lot of controversy, of which he kept a close eye at. A surprize to many, Darwin was a supporter of the Eugenics, as he believed that one's family background should always be kept in mind when seeking a life partner. A believer of the Eugenics, he also supported the idea of "survival of the fittest" which was later widely used throughout the world. His books are of great importance to the world of Biology and to scientest studying Evolution.

Life

Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12th in 1809, in Shrewsbury, England. He was the youngest of two sons and the fourth child of Dr. Robert Waring Darwin and Dr. Erasmus Darwin. Charles' mother died when he was eight years old. In Shrewsbury, Darwin started his early education. He was first at a day school for a year, then went on for seven years to Shrewsbury School under Dr. Samuel Butler. In 1825, he went to Edinburgh to study medicine. After two semesters in Edinburgh, he left and went to Cambridge as he felt unfit to study medicine. he ended up at Christ's College, and got his degree in 1831 with the idea of being a clergyman in mind. Later on that year, Darwin found a letter from an older scientific man who he was friends with, which urged him to apply for the position of naturalist for a surveying expedition. The journey lasted from December, 1831 to October, 1836. This journey led Darwin to many theories, which today, are known as facts. An example of this is Darwin's Theory of Evolution, which he published it in his renowned On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859). After visiting many exotic locations such as: cape de Verde, Australia, Tasmania, the Galapagos Islands and others, Darwin decided to stay in Great Britain.

Major Works

• Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle (1845)
• On the origin of species by means of natural selection (1859)
• The descent of man (1871)
• The expression of the emotions in man and animals (1872)

Major Contributions

Darwin's most important contribution was his theory of natural selection, which has permeated the study of science since it was first published in 1859. Natural selection "became the foundation of modern evolutionary studies". (Britannica) Darwin is also credited as being an individual who "transformed the way we think about the natural world" (BBC) because of his studies of the evolution of different species. Most significantly, Darwin studied how finches in the Galapogos Islands evovled to suit each different environment found on the islands. Darwin also changed the way people looked at the creation of humans. His theories of evolution suggested that humans were evovled primates. This point of view was extremely radical for his time because it challenged the religious beliefs that many people held in the mid-19th century.

Conclusion

Darwin's contribution to this world have been endless. He has opinions on the Natural life, Religion, Eugenics and Politics. His idea's are widely used all over the world as sources of support and defend. Evolution couldn't have been as well explained as it is, with out Darwin's theory on Natural Selection. Biology's main farework of diversity in life originated from Darwin's theory of Natural Selection also. His books play a great role today in explaining some of the concepts which we take for granted. Charles Darwin was always ahead of time and his works and theory's prove that.

Sources

Charles Darwin Biography. [1]

The major works of Charles Darwin. [2]

Charles Darwin. Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. [3].

Historical Figures: Charles Darwin BBC Online. [4]