BIOGRAPHY Charles Robert Darwin

 

Charles Robert Darwin is a traveler and naturalist, the author of the idea of the evolutionary development of all living creatures.

Charles Darwin became the first scientist who put forward the theory of the evolutionary development of all living creatures on the planet. If earlier it was customary to consider the origin of life on earth as God's providence, then the scientist was able to prove that this is the result of evolution from common ancestors. Darwin adhered to the theory of natural selection, which he put at the forefront of the theory of development. It also owns the theory of sexual selection and the law of heredity, which at that time had no evidence. The main mechanism of evolution discovered by Darwin was only recognized in the 50s of the last century and became the foundation for the formation of modern theory.

CHILDHOOD

Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809, in Shrewsbury, located in the English county of Shropshire, on the Darwin family estate. The boy's father's name was Robert Darwin, he was a physician and financier, the son of the naturalist Erasmus Darwin. Mom- Susan Darwin (Wedgwood), was the daughter of the famous artist, Joys Wedgwood. In addition to Charles, five more kids were growing up with their parents The Darwin family belonged to the Unitarian Church, though Susan attended an Anglican church before her marriage.

Charles went to school in 1817 at the age of 8. There he was attracted by the natural history and collecting. In the summer of that year, his mother walked away, so in 1818 Charles and his brother Erasmus were sent by their father to the Shrewsbury School, a boarding house that worked at the Anglican Church.

CHARLES DID NOT SHINE WITH KNOWLEDGE. MOST OF ALL, HE DID NOT LIKE TO ENGAGE IN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGES, BUT HE EXCELLED IN HUNTING AND COLLECTING VARIOUS COLLECTIONS.

After the teachers complained about his poor academic performance, his father tried to lecture the boy, but this did not lead to anything. Hence, they left him alone, deciding that nothing good would come of this student. After some time, the boy got seriously interested in chemistry, for which he was punished by the head of the gymnasium. Upon graduation, Charles's certificate was one of the worst, but this did not prevent him from becoming a student at the University of Edinburgh in 1825. Before entering Charles managed to work as an assistant to his father who has his own medical practice.

It took Charles two years to understand that he had absolutely no interest in medicine. He stopped attending lectures and found a new hobby. The young man was deeply interested in the process of making stuffed animals. He found himself a teacher in the person of the former slave John Edmonstone who once worked with the naturalist Charles Witherton, and traveled with him through the Amazon.

The first objects of Darwin's research were marine inverters. He announced his work in this direction during the work of the Pliny Student Society in March 1827. At the same time, he first met the concept of materialism. Darwin worked as an assistant to Robert Grant. It was there that he got introduced to geology, and saw the collections owned by the University of Edinburgh.

The father was very angry when he found out that Charles had ignored his studies in such a way. At the same time, he understands that a doctor from his son will not work, and began to aggressively offer his offspring to enter Christ's College at Cambridge University. After active involvement in the Plinian society, Darwin no longer believed in church dogma but did not contradict his father. In 1828, he successfully passed the entrance exams and entered Cambridge.

 However, even here, studies didn't really fascinate the negligent student. He was more interested in horseback riding. Charles was seriously fascinated by entomology, and he met people who collect insects.

DARWIN'S BEST FRIEND WAS A PROFESSOR AT THIS UNIVERSITY JOHN GENSLOW WHO INTRODUCED THE STUDENT TO THE INCREDIBLE WORLD OF BOTANY. THE PROFESSOR INTRODUCED CHARLES TO THE BEST NATURALISTS OF THE THOSE YEARS.

The final exams were steadily approaching, and Darwin realized that he needed to catch up on everything that had been missed over the years. He studied the main subjects, and ultimately showed the tenth result in the final exams.

TRAVELS

In 1831 Darwin graduated from Cambridge, but was in no hurry to leave. He became interested in the work of William Paley and Alexander von Humboldt, which dealt with the Natural Sciences. After reading these books, scientists seriously considered going to the tropics to gain practical experience in the natural sciences. To bring his idea to life, Charles studied in a geology course taught by Adam Sedgwick, and then went to North Wales. There he was involved in rock mapping.

Returning back, Charles received a letter from his former teacher, Professor Henslow, in which he asked the captain of the Beagle ship, Robert Fitzroy, to take a young scholar on board. The ship belonged to the British Royal Navy and was bound for South America. Charles Darwin could have been employed as a naturalist, though at his expense. The father said his categorical “no”, and only thanks to the intervention of his uncle Josiah Wedgwood II, Charles was able to travel. The young scientist was able to circle the world.

The ship set sail in 1831, and returned to port only five years later, on October 2, 1836. The crew of the ship was engaged in a cartographic survey of the coasts. At this time, Charles on the shore was collecting exhibits that were added to the collection of geology and natural history. He recorded all of his observations in detail, and if the opportunity arose, he sent copies of his observations to Cambridge. During the years spent on the journey, the scientist acquired a large collection of representatives of the animal world, which mainly of marine invertebrates. In addition, he has studied the geological structure of the coasts, and he also

On the Cape Verde Islands, scientists first realized how the time interval affects geological changes. then he used this discovery more than once when he wrote works on geology.

During a stay in Patagonia, Darwin found an old mammal called the Megatherium. Near its remains, modern mollusk shells were found and the scientist made the assumption that this species had disappeared relatively recently the scientific circles of Britain were very interested in this discovery.

 After Charles had stepped on the plains of Patagonia, where he could admire the open layers of the Earth, he realized that the scientist Lyell was very mistaken when he wrote his work on the permanence and extinction of species.

While Chile visiting, the scientist saw an earthquake lifting the Earth's crust above sea level. In the Andes, Darwin came across marine invertebrates, and he came to the conclusion that barrier reefs and atolls arise after the tectonic movements of the Earth’s crust.

 The Galapagos Islands surprised the scientist with a variety of flora and fauna, he noticed that the local species of many animals differ from their mainland relatives and even from those that live on nearby islands. Darwin pays special attention to the Galapagos tortoises and mockingbirds.

In Australia, Charles saw unusual marsupials and platypuses that did not at all resemble animals from other continents The scientist decided that there is another "creator".

Together with the team, Charles visited Cape Verde, Cocos Islands, Tenerife, Argentina, Brazil, and Tierra del Fuego, Uruguay the information collected over the years of travel became the basis for the creation of the works Diary of a Naturalist's Research in 1839, The Zoology of Voyage on the Beagle in 1840, The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs in 1842. darwin became the author of a description of an unusual natural phenomenon - penitentes, special ice crystals that contain the glaciers of the Andes.

Returning from a round-the-world voyage, the scientist started to collect evidence for his theory about the evolution of species. He was brought up on the basis of church dogmas, and now he perfectly understood that his theory was opposite to the generally accepted order of the universe. He believed that God exists, but his disappointment in Christianity was completed.

WHEN HIS DAUGHTER ANN DIED IN 1851, THE SCIENTIST FINally LEFT THE CHURCH. HE DID NOT STOP HELPING HER, HE STILL SUPPORTED THE PARISHIONERS, WHEN HIS FAMILY WENT TO SERVE IN THE CHURCH, HE PREFERRED TO TAKE A WALK. HE TOLD EVERYONE THAT HE WAS

In 1838 Darwin was nominated secretary of the Geological Society of London, a position he held until 1841.

ORIGIN OF SPECIES

In 1837, the scientist started to keep a diary in which he classified plants by varieties and domestic animals by breed. In the same place, he wrote down his considerations regarding natural selection. The scholar published his first publications on this subject in 1842.

He called his work The Origin of Species, and he laid out arguments supporting his evolutionary theory. The bottom line was that the populations develop gradually due to natural selection. Subsequently, in the scientific world, his principles started to be called "Darwinism".

In 1856, Darwin started to prepare an expanded version of his work for publication. Three years later, the book was managed to be released with a circulation of 1250 copies. It was called "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favorite Breeds in the Struggle for Life." For two days, not a single copy of the publication was on sale. Even during the lifetime of the scientist, his work has been translated into Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Polish, Danish, Spanish, Hungarian, and Serbian. The books of Charles Darwin are still popular, so they are often reprinted. His theory has not lost its relevance even now;

No less important was another work of the scholar - "The Origin of Man and Sexual Selection", where Darwin puts forward the theory of the existence of a common ancestor of man and monkey. Charles presented the results of comparative anatomical analysis, as well as embryological data, and deduced the similarities between man and contemporary apes.

The work is entitled "On the Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals" Darwin devoted to the study of man as a part of the evolutionary chain. he believes that the ancestor of modern man was a lower animal form.

PERSONAL LIFE

Darwin took seriously not only his research but also issues relating to his personal life.

BEFORE DECIDING ON SUCH A SERIOUS STEP, HE TOOK A PIECE OF PAPER AND NOTED ON IT ALL THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THE THIS ACT

After the positive qualities were outweighed, he offered his hand and heart to his cousin Emma Wedgwood. she was the daughter of the same uncle whose intervention helped Charles to travel around the world. So, on November 11, 1838, at that time, she had already celebrated her third birthday and was very educated and prudent. She received marriage suggestions more than once, but the girl rejected all applicants. She corresponded with Charles during his trip around the world, was the author of sermons that were read in a rural school, and took music lessons from Chopin himself.

The official marriage took place on January 29, 1839. They were married by a brother-John Wedgwood, the ceremony took place in the Anglican Church. After the wedding, the couple lived in London, in September 1842, they moved to Down, in Kent.

THE COUPLE BECAME, THE PARENTS OF TEN CHILDREN, AND THEY ALL BECAME BIG PEOPLE. FRANCIS, GEORGE, AND HORACE RECEIVED MEMBERSHIP IN THE ENGLISH ROYAL SOCIETY.

Three children died. The scientist himself explained this by the fact that he and Emma were related, and he outlined these beliefs in one of his works.

DEATH

The great scholar died on April 19, 1882. He lived a long life and died at 73. Charles Darwin's final resting place is Westminster Abbey.

The widowed Emma moved to Cambridge, where she bought a house herself. Sons Horace & Francis built their houses next to it. Emma was only in the winter and spent the summer months at the family estate in Kent. She died on October 7, 1896. Emma was buried in Down, where her husband’s brother, Erasmus, rests.