Charles Darwin (1809–1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist renowned for developing the scientific theory of evolution by natural selection. He proposed that all species of life have descended from a common ancestor, and that species evolve over time through a process called natural selection, where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce. This theory fundamentally transformed biological science and our understanding of life on Earth
. Darwin's interest in natural science grew during his studies at the University of Cambridge and was solidified during a five-year voyage aboard HMS Beagle (1831–1836), where he collected extensive observations and specimens from South America, the Galápagos Islands, and other regions. These findings supported his ideas about gradual evolutionary change and adaptation
. He published his groundbreaking work, On the Origin of Species , in 1859, which laid out his theory of evolution by natural selection and sparked widespread scientific and societal debate. Darwin's work has had a profound and lasting impact on science, philosophy, and society, and he is considered one of the most influential figures in human history. He was honored with burial in Westminster Abbey, London
