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Charles Darwin Begins His Pursuit of Biology
In 1827, while studying to become a clergyman at Divinity at Cambridge, Darwin began to pursue an interest in Biology. He started collecting beetles and comparing them. This was the commencement of his famous "Beetle Collection". His love of biology and science was so great that he never took a job as a cleric. Upon graduating from Cambridge in 1831, he jumped at the opportunity of a lifetime that would wield some of the greatest scientific and philosophical findings we have seen to this day. -
Darwin Sets Sail Aboard the Famous HMS Beagle
Darwin would spend the next five years aboard the HMS Beagle upon being recommended by his college tutor. Darwin visited a total of four continents on his voyage and endured a great deal of sea sickness. He would use this adventure to collect and study multiple species while contemplating and reading during any downtime at sea.
Source:
"Charles Darwin: Evolution and the Story of our Species." BBC.org, BBC, 2019, www.bbc.co.uk/teach/charles-darwin-evolution-and-the-story-of-our-species/z7rvxyc. -
Island Time
It was in 1835 that Darwin would make his famous stop at the Galapagos Islands. It was here that he would perform his great study of finches, tortoises, and other animals. This study would later help lead him to his principle of "Survival of the Fittest"
Source:
"The Evolution of Charles Darwin." smithsoninmag.com, Smithsonian, Dec. 2005, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-evolution-of-charles-darwin-110234034/. -
The Book That Changed Science Forever
It wasn't until November 1859 that Darwin finally decided to publish is findings from his journeys and research over the years. Darwin wrote his book titled "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection" which told his profound Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection which is how we view evolutionary biology today.
Darwin, Charles. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. John Murray, 1859.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0B6os-6uuc -
Survival of the Fittest
In 1869 Darwin's 5th edition of "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection was published and this time featured the famous phrase of "Survival of the Fittest"
Source:
"Charles Darwin: Evolution and the Story of our Species." BBC.org, BBC, 2019, www.bbc.co.uk/teach/charles-darwin-evolution-and-the-story-of-our-species/z7rvxyc. -
Hey, Hey, We're the Monkeys
After having gained many followers and believers of his work over the years, Darwin felt comfortable enough to publish "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex". This book proposed the idea that humans are descendants of apes. He received some backlash and criticism, but by this time many people were now "Darwinists".
Darwin, Charles. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. John Murray, 1871.