Early Life and Education

Born on February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury, England.
Came from a wealthy family — his grandfather Erasmus Darwin was also a respected naturalist.
Initially studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, but dropped out due to a dislike of surgery.
Later enrolled at Cambridge University to study theology — but his real passion was natural science.

The Voyage of the HMS Beagle

In 1831, Darwin joined HMS Beagle as a naturalist for a 5-year scientific voyage around the world.
The Galápagos Islands had a profound impact on his thinking about species variation and adaptation.
He observed finches with different beak shapes — later key to forming his theory of natural selection.
During the voyage, he collected thousands of specimens, many of which were previously unknown to science.

Darwin’s theory proposed that species evolve over time through natural selection.
He waited over 20 years to publish his findings, fearing backlash from the religious and scientific communities.
In 1859, he published “On the Origin of Species”, a landmark work in biology.
The book sold out on the first day and changed scientific thought forever.
He described “descent with modification”, the idea that all species share common ancestors.

Darwin’s work laid the foundation for modern evolutionary biology.
He was the first to explain adaptation and speciation through natural mechanisms.
His theory has since been supported by genetics, fossil evidence, and molecular biology.
Although controversial at first, evolution is now a cornerstone of biological science.

Darwin suffered from chronic illness for much of his life, possibly Chagas disease or psychosomatic disorders.
He was buried at Westminster Abbey, near Sir Isaac Newton — a rare honour for a scientist.
Today, Charles Darwin is recognized as one of the most influential scientists in history.