For example, the tortoise shells differed from previous ones he had seen and there were large lizards as black as the volcanic earth they laid on, blending in perfectly with their surroundings. Whilst in Chile the crew experienced an earthquake and in the Galápagos Islands Darwin discovered that the local wildlife had developed unusual adaptations to suit their surroundings. Throughout his journey Darwin was on a continuous quest for knowledge and new experiences. Altogether the experience served to enrich an already inquisitive mind and allow him to make connections between animals, fossils and natural habitats which he had previously only read about in books. The experiences on this trip allowed Darwin not only to make scientific observations but also make social and anthropological studies of the people and places he visited. Many of these fossils were unknown, or barely known, to science. The cliff face at Punta Alta was made up of a large number of protruding fossils which he and members of the crew were able to uncover. The trip continued to its main destination of South America, first Brazil and later down the coast of Argentina where Darwin made an important discovery. After reading Charles Lyell’s “Principles of Geology” Darwin was now in a position to collect evidence and make conclusions based on the land formation he witnessed. Eventually, as the voyage distanced itself from the harsh northern European winter seas, Darwin’s sickness passed and the ship made its first stop at Cape Verde.Ī three week stay on Cape Verde allowed Darwin to make careful observations about the layers of rock and record signs of volcanic activity.
To make matters worse, he was struck down by seasickness which initially left him confined to his cabin.
It left a lot to be desired for a young academic who had lived in relative comfort. The Beagle, a 10 gun brig with only two cabins, was a culture shock for Darwin. HMS Beagle set sail on 27th December 1831 and began its five year voyage. It was his professor and friend Henslow who had provided the young Darwin with the opportunity to sail with Captain Fitz-Roy on a South American expedition, emulating the voyage of his hero Von Humboldt. Initially, his father objected to the idea but was eventually persuaded and agreed to fund his son’s expedition. As both men were inspired by mutual interests, Henslow proved to be very influential for Darwin, even providing him with the necessary private tuition in order to complete his degree.įinally at the age of 22 Charles Darwin graduated from Cambridge and subsequently was offered an exciting opportunity as a naturalist to go on a survey voyage aboard HMS Beagle. Despite this, it was whilst he was at Cambridge that he met the botany professor John Henslow. Once again, Darwin had other ideas as a lover of country pursuits, he spent much of his time shooting and riding. In order to focus his son on his chosen career path, Charles Darwin’s father sent him to do a Bachelor of Arts at Christs College, Cambridge. Whilst at university he indulged his passion for natural history and joined the Plinian Society, a group comprised of young liked-minded students who also had a passion for the natural sciences. Nevertheless, Darwin had other interests and continued to neglect his studies, much to the frustration of his father. He attended the medical school at Edinburgh University which was of the highest calibre. Darwin was intended to become a doctor and follow in his father’s footsteps.
From an early age young Charles was able to indulge his academic interests, particularly his passion for natural history. On 24th November 1859, ‘On The Origin of Species’ by Charles Darwin was published: a historically momentous publication that would change the way we view and study science for generations to come.Ĭharles Darwin grew up in the sleepy town of Shrewsbury, one of six children, the son of a physician and from a family of academics.
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