Charles Darwin
(February 12, 1809 – April 19, 1882) was an English scientist best
known for his contribution to the theory of evolution, showing that all
species descend from common ancestors through a branching pattern over
generations that he termed natural selection. The concept of Darwinism
holds that the struggle for existence gives rise to the development and
advancement of traits favorable to survival of the species.
Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, to a wealthy society
doctor and financier and his wife, the daughter of Josiah Wedgwood,
founder of the famous pottery company. Charles had a taste for natural
history from a young age and neglected his studies at University of
Edinburgh medical in favor of taxidermy and the natural history club. He
transferred to Cambridge, where he earned a degree and met leading
naturalists who regarded their scientific work as natural theology.
Upon graduation he joined voyage of the HMS Beagle to chart the
coastline of South America, which lasted nearly five years. During the
voyage he spent time on land collecting specimens and investigating
geology, taking copious notes and sending specimens, including fossils
of extinct species, back to England. He had become a celebrity in the
scientific community upon his return in 1836, and immersed himself in
the life of a gentleman scientist, thanks to the income from investments
organized by his father. He married his cousin Emma and settled in
London, but was sidelined from time to time with chronic health problems
and eventually moved to the country.
His notes of the voyage of the Beagle constituted the third volume
of the narrative and were eventually published on their own. He was
deeply influenced by An Essay on the Principle of Population by
Thomas Malthus and saw a connection as with the selective breeding
practiced by farmers, which led to the formulation of his theory and the
publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859. He was a prolific writer and continued publishing influential works, most notably the The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals, until his death from heart failure in 1882.
