...Charles Darwin Biologist, Scientist (1809–1882) Charles Darwin is best known for his work as a naturalist, developing a theory of evolution to explain biological change. Synopsis Naturalist Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England, on February 12, 1809. In 1831, he embarked on a five-year survey voyage around the world on the HMS Beagle. His studies of specimens around the globe led him to formulate his theory of evolution and his views on the process of natural selection. In 1859, he published On the Origin of Species. He died on April 19, 1882, in London. Early Life Naturalist Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in the tiny merchant town of Shrewsbury, England. He was the second youngest of six children. Darwin came from a long line of scientists. His father, Dr. R.W. Darwin, was as a medical doctor, and his grandfather, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, was a renowned botanist. Darwin’s mother, Susanna, died when he was only 8 years old. Darwin was a child of wealth and privilege who loved to explore nature. In October 1825, at age 16, Darwin enrolled at Edinburgh University along with his brother Erasmus. Two years later, Charles Darwin became a student at Christ's College in Cambridge. His father hoped he would follow in his footsteps and become a medical doctor, but the sight of blood made Darwin queasy. His father suggested he study to become a parson instead, but Darwin was far more inclined to study natural history. Voyage on the HMS Beagle While...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...Generally regarded as the most prominent of the nineteenth-century evolutionary theorists, Charles Darwin is primarily known for his, “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, the publication of which in 1859 ushered in a new era of naturalistic thinking that was to influence not only the field of biological science, but also the disciplines of art, literature, philosophy, and theology”(2). In the work Darwin identified genetic mutation and natural selection as the mechanisms that controlled the development of species. His theory introduced the concept of ever-present competitive struggle in nature, “There by decentering the commonly held Romantic view of nature as a benign, even benevolent force, and pushed the role of God to the margins of human existence on earth”(2). Although one of many contributors to the field of evolutionary biology, Darwin is commonly associated with the popular acceptance of evolutionary theory, and his Origin is believed to be the impetus for an intellectual revolution as philosophers, social scientists, and writers began to explore the far reaching implications of his theory, which posed a serious challenge to the orthodoxy of Victorian religion, science, and philosophy. Darwin wrote several books on a range of scientific topics, including botany, zoology, and geology. “Among his earliest works, the Journal of Researches is as much a travelogue as a book on science...
Words: 753 - Pages: 4
...Charles Darwin From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other people named Charles Darwin, see Charles Darwin (disambiguation). Charles Darwin Darwin, aged 45 in 1854, by then working towards publication of On the Origin of Species Born Charles Robert Darwin 12 February 1809 The Mount, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, United Kingdom Died 19 April 1882 (aged 73) Down House, Downe, Kent, United Kingdom Residence England Citizenship British Nationality British Fields Naturalist Institutions tertiary education: University of Edinburgh (medicine) University of Cambridge (ordinary Bachelor of Arts) professional institution: Geological Society of London Academic advisors John Stevens Henslow Adam Sedgwick Known for The Voyage of the Beagle On the Origin of Species evolution by natural selection, common descent Influences Alexander von Humboldt John Herschel Charles Lyell Influenced Joseph Dalton Hooker Thomas Henry Huxley George Romanes Ernst Haeckel Sir John Lubbock Notable awards Royal Medal (1853) Wollaston Medal (1859) Copley Medal (1864) Spouse Emma Darwin (married 1839) Signature Charles Robert Darwin, FRS (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist.[I] He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors,[1] and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect...
Words: 605 - Pages: 3
...Charles Darwin Did you know that birds are descendants of dinosaurs? This is because of evolution, which was first put into theory by Charles Darwin. His theory, called Darwinism, evolution, or natural selection, is very important in many branches of science. Without his research, the belief that there was no change in species in all of history would still be believed. Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809. His father and grandfather were both scientists, so he was encouraged to go into the scientific field. After his education, he went on a research voyage, originally meant to be 2 years long, lasted 5 years (Encyclopaedia Britannica). The voyage was to research, zoology, botany, and geology. One of the first things that was brought...
Words: 526 - Pages: 3
...Charles Darwin One of the most famous names in science and in the economy today, is Charles Darwin. Darwin is best known for his contributions in science; his famous theory of evolution. He also contributed to the market and command economy with his belief, "survival of the fittest." Charles Darwin's contribution to science has been a very controversial one. He stated that each generation will improve adaptively over the preceding generations, and this gradual and continuous process is the source of the evolution of species. Natural selection is only part of Darwin's theory. He also introduced the concept that all related organisms are descended from common ancestors. His theory was first announced in 1858 in a paper. Darwin's complete theory was published in 1859, in On the Origin of Species. This book is often referred to as "the book that shook the world. The Origin sold out on the first day of publication and subsequently went through six editions. Charles Darwin also contributed to the Market economy with his belief "survival of the fittest." In a free enterprise system, it is believed that the best will survive while the less efficient will collapse if the market is allowed to work without government interference. In a market economy, since the government has very little control of the businesses, the companies must work their hardest and come out with good products that will outsell the ones of their competition. Social Darwinism basically means that the strong...
Words: 326 - Pages: 2
...An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin [Name] [Institution] An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin Introduction Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was a renowned English naturalist whose work completely revolutionized the study of natural sciences. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was not only popular during his time but it soon formed the foundation of modern scientific attempts to understand the origin and development of life on earth. Forming part of the reason for his success was his passionate personality concerning science and the nature in general. According to Gutek (1995, p.5), Darwin was a great naturalist whose theory exerted a profound outlook on the European as well as American intellectuals. For example, by questioning the traditional conceptions of human origin, the theory brought about changes in the manner of thinking among many intellectuals. Darwin’s personal accomplishments were shaped by a number of factors chief among them his early interest in nature. From childhood, Charles Darwin collected different things such as beetles and stones and carried out experiments together with his brother inside a garden shed. However, it is his five year voyage aboard HMS Beagle (1831-1836) which provided him with an opportunity to make observations and investigations that culminated in his theory of natural selection (Sulloway, 1982, p.1). Historical Context There are a number of historical events that significantly...
Words: 1110 - Pages: 5
...Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" Charles Darwin in his book, On the Origin of Species, presents us with a theory of natural selection. This theory is his attempt at an explanation on how the world and its species came to be the way that we know them now. Darwin writes on how through a process of millions of years, through the effects of man and the effects of nature, species have had a trial and error experiment ongoing. It is through these trials that the natural world has developed beneficial anomalies that at times seem too great to be the work of chance. Darwin writes on how a species will adapt to its surrounding given enough time. When an animal gains a genetic edge over its competitors, be they of the same species or of another genus altogether, the animal has increased its chance of either procreation or adaptation. When this animal has this beneficial variance, the advantage becomes his and because of this, the trait is then passed on to the animals offspring. The theory of natural selection is not limited to inheritable and beneficial variations of a species. It also relies a great deal on the population growth and death of a species. For a species to continue to exist it must make sure of a few things. It must first produce more offspring than survive. If this is not done then the species is obviously going to die off. It is also important for the species to propagate at such a rate as to allow for variance, for it is variance the worms considering...
Words: 409 - Pages: 2
...Why are the same animal species so different from one continent to another? That is a question that Charles Darwin asked himself. Charles Darwin was an English naturalist who studied evolution through animals during a five-year expedition around the world in the 19th century. He explained all his discoveries and investigations in 1859 in a book named “On the Origins of Species” and he also published in the same year his Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. Some of the animals that Darwin observed were marine iguanas, large tortoises, sharks, rays, fur seals, sea lions, and 26 distinct species of birds. Now, I am going to explain briefly the Theory of Evolution, Darwin’s book “On the Origins of Species,” and Charles Darwin discoveries. Evolution is the heritable physical or behavior traits progression or changes over time. Animals change when compared to their ancestors that lived before them. Some heritable changes happened because of their environment, only those animals that adapt to their environment will survive. Charles Darwin books “On the Origins of Species” and the “Theory...
Words: 516 - Pages: 3
...Charles Darwin and the Evolution of a Species Although many of his peers believed in the teachings of the book of Genesis, Charles Darwin broke away from the norm and questioned the role evolution played in the development of a species over a period of time. He believed that the reason this occurred was a direct result of either natural selection (survival of the fittest), which is based on the environment, or survival of the popular which is chosen trait and occurs in artificial selection. He argued that small variations in reproductive success greatly influenced a population and the traits that were being passed on through many generations. Charles Darwin is associated as being the father of evolution because of his advanced thinking and the breakthrough that was made about scientific theory. The Archaeopteryx was just one bird that was observed by scientists to see if evolution existed. About 150 million years ago, similarities were found in the foot, wrist, and tailbone of the Archaeopteryx that also could be found in some species of dinosaurs. This knowledge gave them great insight into where birds came from how they evolved from dinosaurs. It is remarkable how birds were able to outlive dinosaurs. If one encyclopedia was able to name 9,702 living bird species, which was ten times greater than the number of dinosaurs that were documented, evidently specialized flight feathers, powerful wings, light bones, and strong chest muscles are what caused birds to not only survive...
Words: 1032 - Pages: 5
...Evolution is the belief that all organisms evolved from other organisms in order to adapt to their environments. Scientists like Charles Darwin had many theories and predictions about evolution that helped shape the knowledge we have today. Darwinism is the idea that the strongest of a group will survive. Scientists know these changes happen through evidence found in living things, DNA, fossils, embryology, and comparative anatomy. Charles Darwin was know as the father of evolution because of his discoveries. He had beliefs of natural selection or the idea that organisms adapt to their environment and have offspring that adapt also. “Scientists comparing the genomes of members of the three domains of life—archaea, bacteria, and the eukaryotes...
Words: 444 - Pages: 2
...Charles Darwin is important to the society now because of the hypothesis that he has made. In the science world, he was known for learning about genetics. He was a man whose theories seemed to appear as the truth. Darwin found different birds and also the theory of natural selection. These are some of his well known hypotheses. Charles Darwin, had found species of birds and named them all similar. The birds are Finches, the birds come in different shapes and colors. The finches originated from a group of 15 different species. 14 of the species came from the same place and 1 specie came from somewhere else. Charles Darwin’s birds came from Galapagos and islands of the pacific ocean. Charles Darwin is important to our generation because...
Words: 344 - Pages: 2
...Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in The Mount, Shrewsbury, England to Robert W. Darwin and Susannah Wedgwood. The Darwin family was rich, and Charles grew up in the large house called The Mount with 4 older siblings and 1 younger sibling. His early education consisted of lectures by his older sister, Caroline and a small day-school that he was sent to after his mother’s death in 1817. Charles already had developed a love of natural history and collecting by the time he was sent to a school in Shrewsbury in 1818 at 9 years old. “Nothing could have been worse for the development of my mind than Dr. Butler's school, as it was strictly classical, nothing else being taught except a little ancient geography and history. The school...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...The Complete Works of Charles Darwin Online 1. The thesis is about how Charles Darwin was one of the most influential men in the history of science and his writings are of interest to a wide variety of readers. His theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the most well known theories of biology known to this day. The Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, explain how Dr. John van Wyhe pioneered a website project, The Complete Works of Charles Darwin Online, which was launched in 2006. regarding Charles Darwin and his works. 2. The entire article is about how The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online will be a database that will provide those interested in Charles Darwin with every possible source of information available online. 3. The strengths of the article include how the author lists throughout the article, those who deserve credit for contributing to the website. The article did not have any weaknesses that could be identified. The author was consistent with the information given throughout the article. 4. The article is directed to an audience that consists of college students, scholars and anyone who has an interest in Charles Darwin. The age group and educational level probably starts at the college level and continues on up. The author emphasizes how the Charles Darwin site will be invaluable to students and scholars. 5. Today’s society uses the ideas mentioned in the article. Online resources are one of the most common forms of...
Words: 312 - Pages: 2
...Charles Darwin was an English biologist who is best known for his contributions of natural selection to the theory of evolution and his interest in the Galapagos Islands due to the adaptation of species. Darwin’s career was highly influenced by his childhood. His family helped Charles with their financial and moral support aboard the H.M.S. Beagle, “the voyage [which] took nearly five years, from December 1831 to October 1836” (American Museum of Natural History). In particular, the Galapagos and South America greatly intrigued Darwin, where he discovered species such as, “the marine iguana, the giant tortoise, the finch, and the blue-footed booby” (Cappadocia). It was due to the research and persisting feeling on Darwin’s behalf that allowed him to come to the conclusion “that all [finches] came from one ancestral species”. Ultimately, this means that there must have been other species who have originated from one ancestral species. Darwin was extremely intelligent, and it was all due to this infamous man’s childhood. Charles Darwin was born on the 12th of February, 1809 in Shrewsbury of Shropshire, England. This was the birthdate for another important historical figure: Abraham Lincoln. Charles Darwin was born to Dr. Robert Darwin and Susannah Darwin. Darwin was quite rich as...
Words: 1109 - Pages: 5
...Evolution plays a major part in today; it provides a vast amount of information of the reproduction of animals and organism. Evolution is the process of which different kinds of living organisms are believed to have developed from recent and earlier forms during the history and past of the earth. There are many theories of evolution from many different scientists but the two most well-known theories are by Charles Darwin and Jean Baptise Lamarck. Charles Darwin: Charles Darwin was born in 1809. He used the term “Decent with modification” to explain his proposed theory of “Natural Selection”. He stated that all species evolved from species in the past. Organisms change through time, usually slowly and can evolve overtime to become a new species. He had a large amount of useful...
Words: 440 - Pages: 2
