Darwin and Science

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent,
but the one most responsive to change." -Darwin

As the HMS Beagle docked at Falmouth in Cornwall, England on October 2nd, 1836, few could have imagined that the specimens Darwin carried off the ship would lead to one of history's greatest scientific breakthroughs: the theory of natural selection.

An avid naturalist anxious to see the tropics before settling down as a parson, Darwin decided to sail with the Beagle in 1831. Captain FitzRoy intended Darwin to serve as a gentleman geologist - an educated amateur, not an academic. Yet, Darwin proved a dynamic scientist, talented at observing nature and at developing hypotheses.

While the expedition was meant to last for two years, it went on for five, with Darwin spending over three years of it on land, collecting fossils of extinct mammals and recording his observations of plants and animals.

By the time they docked in England, Darwin had lost all interest in the clergy; evolution was his only interest.

Darwin's journal was published as Journal and Remarks, better known as The Voyage of the Beagle, in 1839. It proved tremendously popular with the reading public and introduced them to the first allusions to a theory of natural selection (hinted at even further in the second edition), though they would not see that idea explicitly addressed for some time.

Bringing Evolution to London

Darwin used his research from the Beagle to explore zoology and geology, breaking into London scientific society and reluctantly assuming the secretaryship of the Geological Society until 1841. It was there that he established himself as a scientific author, writing Volcanic Islands, Geology of South America, and moving on to several other works, all in preparation for his magnum opus, Origin of Species.

However, the true mystery of Origin of Species is that it took so long for Darwin to write. His research was finished 20 years before it was published in 1859. In fact, by the time Darwin stepped off the Beagle, his theory of evolution was nearly complete. Small sections of the text had already been written throughout his journals and crucial ideas already existed in finalized form. Darwin had made perhaps the greatest scientific discovery of all time through keen observation and natural instinct. His challenge in Origin of Species was to lay out a convincing case supported by sufficient evidence. He succeeded: the first edition of 1250 copies sold out on the first day.

Over the next few years, Darwin finished the second edition of Origin of Species, two botanical works, and Variation of Animals and Plants, which presented the theory of Pangenesis. It was that last work that led to 1871's Descent of Man, in which Darwin used the word "evolution"; it was the first time he had written it for the express purpose of describing his theory of natural selection.

The Final Years

Darwin spent the rest of his life focused on botany, evolution, and revising the later editions of his works - many of which continue to be highly desirable. He was the greatest scientist of his age and inspired many others to achieve through his works. Lyell, Huxley, and Hooker were among his closest friends and produced important books that are considered classic scientific works. Future generations in science and medicine would use Darwin's theories to discover the structure of DNA, to eradicate disease, and to figure out more about our evolutionary past. What started with Darwin will live on for all time.