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Charles Darwin

✨ 1809–1882, Biology and evolution

Charles Darwin (1809–1882) was an English naturalist whose work transformed the study of life. He became interested in nature while studying at the University of Cambridge and later joined the HMS Beagle as an unpaid naturalist on a voyage that lasted from 1831 to 1836. During the journey, he collected specimens and recorded observations about plants, animals and fossils, especially in South America and the Galápagos Islands.

Comparing organisms from different places helped him consider how species might change over long periods. Darwin eventually developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. It proposes that individuals in a population vary in their characteristics, that some differences can be inherited, and that organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Over many generations, this process can lead to evolutionary change and the formation of new species. Darwin presented his ideas carefully and published them in On the Origin of Species in 1859. He did not invent the broader idea that living things change over time, and he was not the only scientist to study evolution. His major contribution was providing extensive evidence and a coherent explanation of how natural selection could drive evolutionary change.

He later applied evolutionary thinking to humans, sexual selection and other aspects of biology in The Descent of Man, published in 1871. Today, evolution by natural selection is a central concept in modern biology, supported by evidence from genetics, fossils, comparative anatomy, embryology and observations of populations. Darwin’s work helped establish a framework for understanding the diversity and relationships of living organisms.

💡 Did you know?

A seasick passenger! Did you know that Charles Darwin had seasickness almost all the time during his 5-year voyage? To keep busy and forget his nausea, he wrote thousands of pages of notes in his journal. It is this hard work that allowed him to understand how life changes!

The beetle collector. One day, Darwin caught a rare beetle in each hand. Suddenly, he saw a third, even more beautiful one! To free a hand and catch it, he put one of his beetles in his mouth. The beetle spat out bitter liquid and Darwin had to spit everything out... he even lost all three beetles!

Giant turtles. In the Galápagos Islands, Darwin noticed that turtles had differently shaped shells depending on which island they lived on. He understood that nature selected the animals best adapted to their environment. This was proof that living beings evolve!