(1809–82). Known for his theory of evolution by natural selection, Charles Darwin was an English scientist who studied nature. He describes his ideas in his important book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859). According to this theory, all living things are struggling to survive. The living things that have the most helpful traits for their environment tend to survive. These living things then pass along their helpful traits to their young, and eventually all members of the species will have the helpful traits. For example, birds with a sharper beak than other birds might be more likely to survive and pass this trait on to others. Darwin's ideas have had a great impact on scientific thought.

Early life

Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in Shropshire, England. His father, Robert Waring Darwin, was a successful doctor. His mother Susannah died when Charles was 8 years old. Charles did poorly in school, but he enjoyed collecting shells and other objects. At age 16 he went to the University of Edinburgh to study medicine. When he did not do well there, his father sent him to the University of Cambridge to become a clergyman. Once again Charles performed poorly in his studies. However, a professor there, John Stevens Henslow, encouraged Charles' interest in natural history.

Voyage on the Beagle

In 1831 Darwin was invited to sail on the HMS Beagle to study natural history. The ship was going to survey the coasts of South America. It set sail on December 27, 1831. The voyage lasted five years. During the trip Darwin kept notes and collected samples of rocks and animal life. Many of the rocks he discovered contained fossils, or remains of plants and animals from long ago. Darwin noticed that some of these fossils were similar to living species. This similarity led him to wonder how new species developed. Eventually he developed his natural selection theory to explain this process.

Darwin's publications

After Darwin returned to England in 1836, he wrote several books based on his study of plants and animals. Darwin first presented his theory of natural selection in 1858. The idea of evolution was not new then, but Darwin's theory explained how evolution occurred. When he published On the Origin of Species in 1859, the book was an immediate success. Most scientists accepted the theory of natural selection. However, it was a controversial idea for people who believed that God created everything in the world all at one time.

Darwin continued writing about his theory in several other books. His later books dealt with such subjects as earthworms, orchids, climbing plants, and plants that eat insects. Darwin died on April 19, 1882.