Charles Darwin and Galapagos

Charles Darwin, a naturalist born in 1809 England, traveled around the world on the HMS Beagle from 1831-1836 (Desmond). He made observations on land for three out of the five years he traveled around the world; his most significant findings were recorded on the Galápagos Islands. The most crucial evidence of evolution, a theory that Darwin is known for, consist of the different species of Galapagos tortoises and finches that Darwin observed. He noticed that depending on the different islands similar finches had different variations of beak size and shape. To add, he observed that the tortoise's shell shape and neck length varied based on which island they resided on. Darwin made the observation that depending on each island, which had different

When travelling from island to island on the Beagle Voyage, Darwin collected finches from each island he visited. When he got back, he examined the birds realizing there were small but noticeable differences on the birds. This meant that there were different types of finches on each of the island, also meaning that there is more than one species of finch. Because each island had slightly different settings, each bird that had lived there adapted over time to better equip themselves for living on that particular island. The changes in the finches were subtle, just like how the islands were only slightly different. Different species of finches were born of the original ancestor and as more time passed and they grew more different. They grew different in terms of things like their beaks and their feathers. This example led Darwin to his idea of evolution because he saw that clearly there was no other explanation for his findings. This also proved his theory of natural selection because the original finch’s traits were weaned out and those original finches evolved into species that could survive the best in the climates of the different islands. Because he now believed that the finches had one common ancestor, he came to the conclusion that all life forms on earth have one common

Darwin has listed different names for each bird, they are all variations of Finches, apparently descended from a common ancestor. However, each bird has a different length beak and many are differently shaped to allow them to more efficiently eat the available fodder. Coincidentally, Mr. Darwin failed to catalog specifically where each bird came from and had to ask the ship’s captain to supply this information along with his collection to Mr. Gould for identification and cataloging. An interesting part of the conversation between Mr. Darwin and the ship’s captain is the captain’s argument for the fixity of species, that each one was created by God exactly the way it was, and placed on each island, and that it is heresy to say that they came to be there any other way.

Medium ground finches had small beaks before but changed over time. This was caused because of evolution and survival of the fittest. When Charles Darwin came onto the island he wondered why there were many different species of the finches, then he hypothesized that a group of finches might have came in from South America. Then splitting of the finches and adapting into their environment to have a better chance of surviving. The finches beaks helped with Darwin thinking

Darwin’s observations from the islands made him want to come up with some explanation to why this occurred. He began to do research of each the species that had lived on these islands and observe all of the

When Darwin traveled over to the Galapagos island he traveled on a ship called the HMS Beagle. Darwin traveled to the Galapagos island to get information about evolution with the animals there. When he was there he observed tortoises, when he observed these animals he got a understanding of evolution over time. He saw that the tortoises in the area with food low to the floor had a flatter shell and a short neck, but when he observed tortoises with food high up he saw that the tortoises had a long neck and raised shell. Over time the tortoises evolved she they can survive in their environments. When he was their he wrote a book called the Darwins book on the origin of species. The information that he wrote about was information about species that were not fixed but could change over time by natural causes.

Evolution is a theory that is supported with evidence that characteristics of living organisms change over generations. A species can change over time and may even split into two new species through a process called Speciation. Each new species adapts to its new environment through adaptability. This is the ability of an organism to change its physical and chemical nature to adjust to its surroundings. For example, adaptive radiation is a form of evolution that Charles Darwin had discovered.

In 1837, Charles Darwin was traveling aboard the H.M.S. Beagle in the Eastern Pacific when he stopped on the Galapagos Islands. There, Darwin found a wide array of animals including the Galápagos finches. The differences that he uncovered between these animals sparked Darwin’s interest; he had never before seen nor attempted to understand the similarities and differences inherent within these species. Examining each and uncovering the probable reasons for their distinctions, namely their differing needs for adaptation, Darwin constructed his theory of natural selection. From his observations on the Galapagos Islands, Darwin continued developing his research into eventually what became known as the Origin of Species, published in 1858. In this book, he asserted that these animals and differing species did not just appeared out of thin air, but rather had evolved from other species through the process of natural selection. Yet, his scientific findings were not accepted by the general public when first published, nor long after. Instead, they sparked a great uproar and criticism, since for most people accepted the theory of the Creation, the belief of divine creation, as the way people and species appeared on earth. His findings, so contrary to the then accepted norm of creation, were met with hostility and resentment by many who considered his work

Charles Darwin, a naturalist around the 1800’s , discovered the theory of evolution. He discovered this observation of evolution with his voyages around the world. The specific animals that proved Darwin 's theory were the finches he discovered in South America, and then found many variations at many different places. He studies these finches in depth and discovered that they were similar yet somehow different; the first indicator being their beaks. Darwin slowly understood that the reason as to why there were different formation of beaks for the fiches was because of the environment and the food source they found there. This is how the “Tree of

In 1835 Charles Darwin, aboard the vessel HMS Beagle, first set foot on the Islands of the Galapagos Archipeligo setting off on what would become the inspiration for the most important innovation in biological sciences either before or since. That visit solidified for Darwin his notion of the evolution of life on Earth, and helped trigger his breakthrough regarding Natural Selection, ultimately culminating in his groundbreaking masterpiece On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. And although Darwin would never return to these Islands in his lifetime, the Galapagos still hold today a vast importance-both symbolic and scientific-to evolutionary biologists everywhere, and have undergone intense scrutiny and

The original purpose of Darwin’s voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle was to find evidence that could prove the biblical theory to be true, and to discover and chart the South American coastline which was not well known. He was to collect specimens of rocks, plants, minerals and animals along with observing and recording them. The ultimate significance of this trip for Darwin was rather than being able to prove that the biblical theory, he had evidence of evolution by natural selection. He found fossils of Glyptodont and Megatherium which were very similar to the common armadillo which led him to question whether the Earth was 6000 years old as it was believed to be or much older than that, and when collecting the common bird discovered differences

Previously, he had been inspired by Charles Lyell’s Principles of Geology, which stated “present conditions and processes are clues to Earth’s past history.” While on the Beagle’s journey, Darwin sent home a total of 1,529 species that had been maintained in spirit as well as 3,907 desiccated specimens with labels (Biography Online). A breakthrough in Darwin’s studies was when he noticed certain forms of organisms subsist in particular areas, as well as that a wide variety of organisms had previously gone through changes that enabled them to stay alive in their particular environment (Notable Biographies). For instance, he studied the Finch in the Galapagos Islands and noticed that there are over twelve different forms of this one bird. These bird’s beaks were different sizes and shapes, depending on what food was available in their particular area. The animals on the Galapagos Islands showed many similarities to other animals in other parts of the world (Biography Online). Between the discovery of the different Finches along with the similarities of animals from other locations, he began to wonder if there was something more to earth’s history. These observations would later lead him to his theory

It was on these islands that Darwin noted that various birds, though the same species, differed based on the different islands they resided on, most notably the mockingbird and finch. It was here that Darwin first theorized about whether or not species could change over time, based on their location. Could a species change because of the land, the climate, all of the things that can affect a species?

200 years ago was the beginning of finding new discovers and answers of how the world formed. Sailors and explores collected specimens from Britain empires. In school Darwin was taught to believe that 6,000 years ago God created the world. It was 183, at the age of 22 where his family connection helped with a once in a lifetime trip around the world. On the HMS Beagle he collected hundreds of specimens on his voyage, but never was satisfied with his findings. Therefore lead him to doubt the biblical story of how the creation of animals. That was where he arrived to Galapagos Island and pondered on why God has created creature so similar to each other are different.

Through the work of curious minds before them, Darwin’s inspiration working as a naturalist on the HMS Beagle and traveling to the Galapagos Islands, and Wallace’s promptings for publication in 1856,