The Riverbank

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) was a naturalist, geologist, and biologist hailing from Shropshire, England. He is most famous for his theory of evolution and natural selection, which posits that all species of life descend from a common ancestor and compete continuously for survival via genetic advantage. In 1831, Darwin joined the five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle to chart the coastline of South America. It was on this voyage that he penned his famous observations concerning the speciation of the tortoises, finches, and mockingbirds of the Galápagos Islands. That work would inform his later theories, which are still considered fundamental scientific concepts to this day.