On the Origin of Species

Widely considered the father of modern evolutionary biology, Charles Darwin (1809-1882) extensively developed natural selection theory, which has become foundational to biological science. On the Origin of Species, first published in 1859, systematically presents a theory of the genealogical history of species, their tendency to produce varieties, and the processes by which this unfolds. Although extremely controversial at the time (and for many decades afterwards), natural selection theory (or the theory of evolution) is now the scientifically accepted paradigm for the natural history of species.

As a young man Darwin circumnavigated the globe as the naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle, a vessel of the British Royal Navy. Many of the ideas that inspired Darwin’s natural selection theory were based on his findings and experiences on this trip. The Voyage of the Beagle, a popular account of his adventures, was published in 1839. The many places that inspired Darwin during the voyage most notably included the Galapagos Islands, Patagonia, and Tahiti.

A tragic moment in Darwin’s life occurred in 1851 when his eldest daughter, Annie, died at age 10. Darwin had a large family, including 10 children. Two other children died in infancy, one in 1858 around the time that Darwin’s unpublished writings on natural selection were first presented to a public