Darwin, Charles

Darwin, Charles
English naturalist (1809-82), considered the father of evolution. Darwin voyaged aboard the Beagle to see the wonders of South America. After his return to England, he proposed a mechanism for evolution — natural selection. Darwin noted that successful species produce more offspring in each generation than are needed to replace the adults who die. Not all offspring survive. Some creatures or plants struggle to survive. Many things affect an individual's chances of survival, including its ability to obtain enough food and avoid being killed. Sometimes there are differences which may make it easier for an individual to survive long enough to reproduce. The species would thus have changed or evolved to favor traits that favor survival and reproduction. Darwin called this process "natural selection", as explained in his book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Darwin,Charles Robert — Darwin, Charles Robert. 1809 1882. British naturalist who revolutionized the study of biology with his theory of evolution based on natural selection. His most famous works include Origin of Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871).  … …   Universalium

  • Darwin, Charles — ▪ British naturalist Introduction in full  Charles Robert Darwin  born February 12, 1809, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England died April 19, 1882, Downe, Kent  English naturalist whose theory of evolution by natural selection became the foundation of …   Universalium

  • Darwin, Charles — ( 1809 1882 )    naturalist who developed the theory of evolution    Charles Robert Darwin, whose theories concerning biological evolution sparked a revolution in Protestant thought, was born on February 12, 1809, at Shrewsbury, Shropshire,… …   Encyclopedia of Protestantism

  • Darwin, Charles — (1809–1882)    The immensely influential theorist of evolution, Charles Darwin was the grandson of the biologist Erasmus Darwin and was descended on his mother’s side from the Wedgwood pottery family, which made him independently wealthy. After… …   Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800–1914

  • Darwin , Charles Robert — (1809–1882) British naturalist Darwin, who was born in Shrewsbury, began his university education by studying medicine at Edinburgh (1825), but finding he had no taste for the subject he entered Cambridge University to prepare for the Church. At… …   Scientists

  • Darwin, Charles Robert — (1809–82)    Scientist.    Darwin was educated at the University of Cambridge. In 1859 he published his Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. In this he argued that the earth’s species were not created in their present form, but had… …   Who’s Who in Christianity

  • Darwin, Charles Robert — (1809–1882) English naturalist. Darwin was born in Shrewsbury and studied medicine at Edinburgh, then Cambridge. His naturalistic observations came to maturity on the famous voyage of the Beagle (1831–6). During the subsequent twenty years Darwin …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Darwin, Charles (Robert) — born Feb. 12, 1809, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Eng. died April 19, 1882, Downe, Kent British naturalist. The grandson of Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgwood, he studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and biology at Cambridge. He was… …   Universalium

  • Darwin, Charles (Robert) — (12 feb. 1809, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Inglaterra–19 abr. 1882, Downe, Kent). Naturalista británico. Nieto de Erasmus Darwin y Josiah Wedgwood, estudió medicina en la Universidad de Edimburgo y biología en Cambridge. Fue recomendado para… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • DARWIN, CHARLES ROBERT —    great English naturalist and biologist, born at Shrewsbury, grandson of Erasmus Darwin on his father s side, and of Josiah Wedgwood on his mother s; studied at Edinburgh and Cambridge; in 1831 accompanied as naturalist without salary the… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

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