Charles Darwin
His theory of evolution by natural selection provided a unifying, evidence-based explanation for the dazzling diversity of all life on Earth.
1809–1882 (age 73)·English naturalist and biologist·Birthday: February 12
Biography
Charles Darwin was a meticulous observer whose five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle transformed him from a conventional naturalist into a revolutionary thinker. Sailing around the globe, he collected fossils, studied geology, and documented an astonishing array of wildlife, most famously the finches of the Galápagos Islands. Back in England, two decades of painstaking study, breeding experiments with pigeons, and correspondence with experts led him to a staggering conclusion: species were not fixed, but changed over vast time through a process he called natural selection, where advantageous traits were passed on. Fearing the uproar it would cause, he delayed publishing 'On the Origin of Species' for years until learning Alfred Russel Wallace had developed a similar idea. The 1859 book ignited a firestorm, challenging religious and scientific orthodoxy by placing humanity within the natural world. Though initially controversial, Darwin's framework, built on immense evidence, became the bedrock of modern biology.
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Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1809Born
1814Started school
1822Became a teenager
1825Could drive
1827Could vote
1830Turned 21
1839Turned 30
1849Turned 40
1859Turned 50
1869Turned 60
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1879Turned 70
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1882Died at 73
First electrical power plant opens in New York
President: Chester A. Arthur
Key Achievements
- Published 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859, introducing the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection.
- Presented his theory jointly with Alfred Russel Wallace at the Linnean Society of London in 1858, establishing scientific priority.
- Wrote 'The Descent of Man' (1871), applying evolutionary theory to human origins and discussing sexual selection.
- His five-year global voyage on HMS Beagle provided the critical observational foundation for his later theories.
- Produced monumental monographs on barnacles, coral reefs, and earthworms, demonstrating his rigorous empirical method.
Did You Know?
He almost didn't sail on the Beagle; the ship's captain initially rejected him due to the shape of Darwin's nose.
Darwin married his first cousin, Emma Wedgwood, and they had ten children together.
He suffered from a lifelong, debilitating illness, possibly Chagas' disease contracted during his travels.
He built a 'thinking path' at his home, Down House, where he would walk and develop his ideas daily.
One of his sons, Francis, became a noted botanist and edited his father's letters and autobiography.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
