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'''Charles Darwin''' was an English naturalist and biologist, best known for his theory of evolution by natural selection. His work transformed the understanding of the origin and diversity of life and became the foundation of modern biology.

== Life ==
Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England, in 1809. He studied medicine at Edinburgh and theology at Cambridge, where he developed an interest in natural history.

He served as naturalist on the voyage of HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836, during which he visited South America, the Galapagos Islands, and Australia. The observations he made during the voyage, particularly of the fauna of the Galapagos, provided the basis for his later work.

He spent the rest of his life at Down House in Kent, where he conducted experiments and wrote. He died in 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

== The Theory of Evolution ==
The theory of evolution by natural selection holds that species change over time through the differential survival and reproduction of individuals with favourable traits. The mechanism is the selection of variations that are heritable.

Darwin developed the theory over many years, and he was prompted to publish by the arrival of a similar theory from Alfred Russel Wallace. The Origin of Species was published in 1859 and presented the evidence for evolution and for natural selection.

== Evidence ==
Darwin marshalled evidence from many fields, including the fossil record, the geographical distribution of species, the similarities among embryos, and the results of artificial selection. He argued that the patterns observed in nature are best explained by descent with modification.

The evidence has been greatly extended since his time, and the theory has been confirmed by genetics, by molecular biology, and by the fossil record. The modern synthesis combines the theory of evolution with the theory of inheritance.

== Other Works ==
Darwin wrote on many subjects, including the expression of emotion, the fertilisation of orchids, and the formation of coral reefs. His book on earthworms was one of the first studies of the role of organisms in the formation of soil.

The Descent of Man, published in 1871, applied the theory to human beings and argued for the common ancestry of humans and other animals.

== Legacy ==
Darwin's theory is the central organising principle of biology. It has been extended and refined, and it is supported by evidence from many fields.

The theory has also been influential beyond biology, in philosophy, in the social sciences, and in the public understanding of science. It remains a subject of public debate, though it is accepted by the scientific community.

== The Voyage of the Beagle ==
The voyage of HMS Beagle, from 1831 to 1836, was the formative experience of Darwin's life. He served as naturalist and companion to the captain, Robert FitzRoy, and he collected specimens and made observations throughout the voyage.

He visited South America, the Galapagos Islands, and Australia, and he observed the geographical distribution of species and the fossils of extinct animals. The observations provided the basis for his later work.

The specimens that he collected were sent to England, where they were studied by specialists and contributed to the development of his ideas.

== Natural Selection ==
The theory of natural selection holds that the individuals with favourable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, so that the traits become more common in the population over time. The mechanism requires variation, heritability, and differential reproduction.

Darwin developed the theory over many years, and he was prompted to publish by the arrival of a similar theory from Alfred Russel Wallace. The joint paper was presented in 1858, and the Origin of Species was published in 1859.

The theory provided a mechanism for evolution, which had been proposed by earlier thinkers, and it explained the patterns of the natural world.

== The Descent of Man ==
The Descent of Man, published in 1871, applied the theory to human beings. Darwin argued that humans share a common ancestry with other animals, and he discussed the evolution of the mental and moral faculties.

The book was controversial, and it extended the debate about evolution to the place of humans in nature. It influenced the development of anthropology and of psychology.

== The Reception ==
The theory of evolution was controversial from the outset, and it was opposed by those who held to the literal interpretation of the Bible. The debate, including the famous exchange between Thomas Huxley and Bishop Wilberforce, was a landmark in the relation between science and religion.

The theory was accepted by the scientific community within Darwin's lifetime, and it was supported by the development of genetics and of molecular biology. It remains the central organising principle of biology.

== Summary ==
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection transformed the understanding of life and became the foundation of modern biology. His work, based on the evidence of the natural world, remains central to the sciences and to the public understanding of science.

== See also ==
* Gregor Mendel
* Alfred Russel Wallace
* Evolution

== References ==

<ref name="r1">The Origin of Species and other works of Darwin.</ref>
<ref name="r2">Biographies and studies of his science.</ref>
<ref name="r3">Histories of biology and of evolutionary thought.</ref>

<references />

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:England]]

Charles Darwin - Revision history

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