Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury, England. His theory of evolution, presented in his controversial “Origins of the Species”, has had a profound impact on the world of scientific research.
Darwin came from a well-to-do family – his father a doctor, and his mother the daughter of a successful industrialist. In 1839, he married his cousin, Emma Wedgwood. They had ten children, seven of whom survived to adulthood.
Darwin studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, but later switched to divinity at Cambridge. His passion for natural history led him to join the HMS Beagle as a naturalist on a five-year voyage around the world.
During his voyage on the Beagle (1831–1836), Darwin collected specimens and observed diverse ecosystems, including those on the isolated Galapagos Islands. His observations on Galapagos significantly impacted his theory of evolution.
Darwin noticed that different species of finches on the islands had distinct beak shapes. These beaks were adapted to specific food sources (e.g., seeds, insects, nectar). This led Darwin to propose that a single ancestral species had diversified into various forms due to environmental pressures.
He also noticed that the finches’ variations in beak size and shape demonstrated natural variation within each population. He concluded that those with advantageous traits, like beaks suited to available foods, were more likely to survive and reproduce. He concluded that over time, this process — natural selection — led to the evolution of new species of finches.
The virtually complete isolation of the Galapagos Islands allowed unique species to evolve independently. Darwin realized that similar species on the different islands had adapted differently. This reinforced his idea that environmental factors influenced species’ characteristics.
Darwin’s observations led him to conclude that all finches shared a common ancestor — but that different species of finches had diversified over time. This idea extended to other organisms, forming the basis of his theory.
As a result of his observations, Darwin formulated his groundbreaking Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. His seminal work, “On the Origin of Species,” was published in 1859, two decades after his voyage on the Beagle. In it he proposed that species evolve over time through heritable traits that better allow them to adapt to their environment.
Initially, Darwin’s ideas shocked Victorian society, as they challenged religious beliefs. However, his nonreligious approach appealed to professional scientists.
For the remainder of his life, Darwin faced opposition from religious circles and conservative thinkers who rejected his theory. Some critics feared that evolution undermined morality and social order.
Nevertheless, his work gradually gained acceptance within the scientific community. By the time of his death in 1882, evolutionary imagery had permeated science, literature, and politics.
Today, more than a century and a half after he published his groundbreaking thesis, his theories remain contentious for many religious believers.
In the US, many continue to argue about evolution and its place in school curriculum. But 76% of Americans, people of various religious beliefs, see widespread consensus that “most biological scientists say that humans have evolved over time due to processes such as natural selection.”
Regardless of which way one believes, we can all agree that Charles Darwin’s legacy endures, shaping our understanding of life’s diversity and our place as humans in the natural world. His impact extends far beyond science, influencing culture, education, and our perception of existence. Darwin’s groundbreaking work on evolution by natural selection continues to shape modern evolutionary studies — and debate in the subject.
Darwin’s research has influenced the way we discuss the diversities of the species within our novels. ‘Human’ is a term that takes on a new meaning in our story. Our main character, Adam, grows up in a community of humans whose reproduction for centuries has been controlled by artificial intelligence and artificial insemination.
Adam’s fellow Novanians are thus genetically similar — but Adam is different. A higher power played a direct role in his conception — and he comes to realize that he not only looks different from other humans — but that he alone is also gifted with knowledge of all past human endeavors and accomplishments.
Once he escapes his homeland, Adam travels to Taoland – a rogue planet with three habitable moons and countless varieties of humans from throughout the universe. He interfaces with others whose physical characteristics differ drastically from what we know as ‘human’. He learns that what makes us human is the same — no matter what one looks like – no matter our origins.
Each of us has a soul.
Throughout Adam’s journey he learns that we are all different, yet we are all the same.
