Charles Darwin - Who laid the foundation of the modern theory of evolution?

Charles Darwin who was born at Shrewsbury in1809 propounded the theory of evolution. Before him, it was believed that each species of life and earth appeared separately and that none had ever changed its from. Darwin proved that evolution is the law of nature and living things descended from common ancestors, who lived million of years ago. All plants and animals have evolved in an orderly way and even today changes occurs.

At the age of 16 Darwin was sent to Edinburgh University to study medicine. The study of anatomy made him disgusted, and surgical operations, which at that time were performed without anesthetics, made him horrified. Then he went to Cambridge to study Theology. But he prepared to pursuit beetles than Theology. He just managed to get through his degree and there he made valuable friends like professor of botany and geology.

In 1831 Darwin accompanied a scientific expedition as a naturalist and sailed round the world. In this voyage he took keen interest on relationship between the extinct and existing animals. He saw strange marine iguana, the tortoises and the finches on the Galapagos islands in the Pacific and also similar ones, yet quite different forms on separate islands. This led him to do further observation and that helped with his ideas on evolution.

At the same period another naturalist agreed with the same findings and joined together.

Darwin's first book "The Origin of Species by Natural Selection" was sold on the day of publication. This book bout the modern theory of evolution created an uproar as it contradicted the religious belief about the creation of the world. But it was accepted by all biologists.

Darwin published more books like "Insectivorous Plants", "Power of Movement in Plants", "Decent of Man" and the "Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms" etc, and the contents were proved. Darwin died at the age of 74 on April 19" 1882.