Darwin, Charles Robert

Darwin, Charles Robert is a British naturalist and traveler. The author of a synthetic theory of evolution and the founder of the doctrine of "Darwinism."

Childhood, education, Darwin family
February 12, 1809 in the old English town of Shrewsbury, Charles Darwin was born. Charles's father Robert Erasmus Darwin had extensive medical practice. Mother Susanna Wedgwood came from a very wealthy family of owners of famous porcelain factories. The family was wealthy, owned a beautiful house, located on the banks of the River Severn. Charles was the penultimate child in a large and friendly family, where there were four more children: three girls and one boy. A year later, little Charles had a younger sister, Catherine.

Darwin House in Shrewsbury

At school, Charles studied very reluctantly. Not because he was stupid, he was simply not interested in the subjects of the school curriculum. However, already in childhood, Charles showed interest in nature, research. He actively collected minerals and insects, shells. In 1825, Charles's father realized that there would be no use in teaching his son at school, and sent him to Edinburgh University. Darwin studied at the university for two years. After that, the father, who really wanted to give his son a decent education, offered him a spiritual career. In 1828, Charles entered Cambridge University for a theological faculty. He was preparing to become a priest, but still did not pay due attention to his studies. Darwin spends most of his time hunting and fishing, observing nature, collecting. In 1831, Charles graduated from the university. He became one of those graduates whose knowledge was satisfactory, but did not represent anything special.

Darwin was lucky - he was finally helped to find his favorite business in life. Shortly after graduation, professor of botany John Henslow turned to him, who had previously noticed Charles's penchant for studying nature. Charles is invited to become a member of the expedition, which goes to South America. Darwin accepts this offer with pleasure.

World tour
The expedition started on the ship "Beagle" in 1831 and lasted for more than 5 years. The researchers visited Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and the Galapagos Islands. During the trip, Darwin faithfully performed the duties of an expedition naturalist, carefully studied the flora and fauna of the territories visited by the expedition. Charles collected a large collection of fossils and minerals, stuffed animals, and several herbariums. The progress of the expedition was recorded in detail in Darwin's diary. This diary was later very useful to him when writing scientific papers. This work lasted 20 years. Soon the travel diary was published, which became a very popular book in wide circles of society.

Darwin settled in Cambridge, but only spent a few months there. Then he moved to London. He is a member of a scientific society, and for five years he has been communicating mainly with scientists.
Darwin is used to an open, free life, so the city is noticeably depressing. This period of life was very fruitful: Charles works hard, often speaks in scientific society, leads discussions. He is elected honorary Secretary of the Geological society.

In 1839, Darwin married. His wife was miss Emma Wedgwood, who was Charles's cousin. He gradually weakens, his body is more and more captured by the disease. In 1842, Darwin decided to move away from the city bustle and moved to the newly acquired estate of dawn.

In 1859, Darwin published his most famous book, the Origin of species by natural selection. It has become scandalous. At that time, it was believed that the Earth and all living things on it were created as described in the Bible. Darwin also stated that nature developed over millions of years. Despite this, the book was very successful. Then, for a while, Charles focuses on the plants. In 1862, he published the book "Pollination of orchids". Then come the works "Climbing plants" and "Insectivorous plants"

The main merit of Darwin is that he established the mechanism of evolution, explaining both the diversity of living beings and their amazing expediency, adaptability to the conditions of existence. This mechanism is a gradual natural selection of random undirected hereditary changes.

In 1864, he received the Copley gold medal, and three years later, the Prussian Roig Le merite award. At the same time, he became an honorary corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy. He was also an honorary doctor at the universities of Breslau, Bonn, and Leiden, and received a number of other awards. At the end of his life, he simply became rich due to the popularity of numerous books. The more money he earned, the more he devoted it to science. As for the awards, the scientist was absolutely indifferent to them.

Facts from Darwin's life
The ROC tried in every possible way to denigrate Darwin, calling him a blasphemer. Priests held lectures in schools, practicing all sorts of accusations against the scientist.
Many enlightened people in Russia, including Alexey Konstantinovich Tolstoy, came to Darwin's defense. Charles Darwin became the main character of the story "the Origin of species" by Victor Pelevin.
In 2009, British Director John Emiel released a biographical film, the Origin of species, about Darwin. Recognized as one of the most outstanding Britons of all time. The scientist himself constantly doubted the correctness of his statements, calling them only hypotheses.

Charles Darwin believed that the Appendix was necessary for human ancestors to digest plant food. Modern food is better absorbed by the human body, so the need for an Appendix was questioned.
The first monkey that Charles Darwin saw was an orangutan named Jenny. This happened at the London zoo in 1838. Darwin immediately noticed the similarity in the behavior of apes and humans.
During his research, Charles Darwin bred 54 types of gooseberries, as well as many types of peas, cabbage and beans.
Charles Darwin did not have his own laboratory like other scientists of his time, but instead used the space around his Down house to conduct experiments and test theories.
As a student at the University of Cambridge, Charles Darwin presided over the glutton Club, which he visited weekly to sample rare meats.