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Beginnings
Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shropshire, England on February 12th 1809. In the year 1825 Darwin became a student of the University of Edinburgh where he was exposed to different teachings and ideas of the time. When Darwin was 22 years old he joined a crew on the HMS Beagle and sailed around the world. On the voyage he encountered many different species both alive and extinct. He studies tortoises, fossils, birds and many other animals during this time. -
Key Event
After returning to England, Darwin penned multiple books on his findings upon completion of the voyage. During the 1830s-1850s his reputation as a biologist began to grow tremendously and he became well-respected in his community. He delayed publishing his findings about natural selection due to the fact that he feared backlash from readers. His beliefs contraindicated the Church's belief in Divine Creation and he was accused of blasphemy by the Church of England. -
Key Event Continued
Despite the accusations Darwin received from the church of England his book became a bestseller and was eventually translated into over 35 languages including braille. Darwin's theory proposed that the individual organisms with the best characteristics for their environment were the best suited for survival and reproduction. To this day, Darwin's theories are the most widely accepted theories by scientists pertaining to the diverse complexity of life on Earth. -
Educational Video
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Contributions To The Philosophy of Science
Charles Darwin is possibly the most famous biologist to date. He was able to promote an enormous change in the way scientists viewed evolution of species and he was also able to pave the way for other researchers to expand on his concepts. Even though his original theories have been edited over the years, his research remains the fundamentals of what we now know about natural selection. -
Sources
Desmond, Adrian J. “Charles Darwin.” Edited by Encyclopaedia Brittanica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.,15 Apr 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Darwin.
Lotzof, Kerry. “Charles Darwin: History's Most Famous Biologist.” Natural History Museum, Natural History Museum, www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/charles-darwin-most-famous-biologist.html.
“Theory of Evolution: How Did Darwin Come up with It? - BBC News.” YouTube, YouTube, 30 Nov. 2019 www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOk_0mUT_JU.
