Charles Darwin's Life

The documentary, “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea” tells the story of Charles Darwin’s conception of his theory of natural selection, and how it explains the evolutionary process and species adaptation. The story begins with a brief overview of his 5-year stint on the HMS Beagle as the ship's naturalist, during her South American voyage. The film shows how Mr. Darwin collected fossils and many species of animals and birds from many different regions especially the Galapagos Islands. It portrays Mr. Darwin’s return to England and his struggle between the mainstream religious beliefs and his personal beliefs of how different species came to be. Additionally, the documentary covers his presentation of fossils and ideas to the scientific community,

Darwin was the British naturalist who became famous for his theories of evolution and natural selection. Like several scientists before him, Darwin believed all the life on earth evolved over millions of years from a few common ancestors. From 1831 to 1836 Darwin served as naturalist aboard the H.M.S. Beagle on a British science expedition around the world. In South America Darwin found fossils of extinct animals that were similar to modern species. On the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean he noticed many variations among plants and animals of the same general type as those in South America. The expedition visited places around the world, and Darwin studied plants and animals everywhere he went, collecting specimens for further study.

Charles Darwin began his scientific breakthroughs and upcoming theories when he began an expedition trip to the Galapagos Islands of South America. While studying there, he discovered that each island had its own type of plant and animal species. Although these plants and animals were similar in appearance, they had other characteristics that made them differ from one another and seem to not appear as similar. Darwin questioned why these plants and animals were on these islands and why they are different in ways.

Early in both of their careers, Darwin and Owen were associates in aiding in each other’s research and had even attended the same university, but this cooperation would not last when in 1859, Darwin’s controversial manuscript was published. Owen was not convinced of his promising colleague’s theory or some now say that perhaps he was jealous. In fact, he was appalled by evolutions later implications of man being a mere relative of an ape. Because of Owen’s position as curator of the Natural History Museums and substantial scientist of his day, Owen’s ridicule had devastating consequences for Darwin. Charles Darwin became literally a joke among much of the scientific community causing his life for himself and his family to become difficult.

Through his connections Darwin eventually joined the H.M.S. Beagle on a navigational trip around the world. There is some debate as to whether Darwin was the official ship's naturalist; by some accounts he was only a passenger, because he lacked a degree in the natural sciences. At the time of his departure, Charles was also creationist, meaning that he held to the Biblical view of the origins of the earth and its creatures. He spent five years traveling on the Beagle, collecting specimens of things he encountered in his travels. He never adapted to sea travel, and was sick for most of the time he was on the ship; when his travels were over, he settled down permanently.

A key factor of Darwin's evidence on the evolutionary process was the Finche. During his travels to the Galapagos Islands Finches became the main evidence to support his theory on the evolutionary process. Darwin was able to identify Finches that had various shaped beaks. Studying them more in depth he was able to establish the reasoning for these changes creating his theory of natural selection and gradual evolution over time. With the ability to draw and write, Darwin had little struggle documenting his findings during his time on the H.M.S. Beagle. Darwin was also able to ship species and labeled dried specimens back to his home land. At the time of Darwin believed his new founding to be very hard for the world to adjust to his new found

Charles Darwin set sail in 1831, and came back from his voyage in 1836. He Had endured sea sickness, miraculously survived a sickness that spread all over the ship, and kept his sanity while being cramped in a tight space while writing about his findings. The boat that he was riding sailed near the equator, where he took his first steps onto south America. There he found new species of animals, and plants that he had never seen before. All these new specimens amazed him, but all that Charles could think of, is how these animals came to be.

To start off, Charles Darwin brought back many specimens from all over the globe back to England in 1836. Upon arrival and showing what he had collected, Darwin learned quite a bit. First, he discovered that the Galápagos mockingbirds could not be found anywhere else in the world, nor could the Galápagos tortoises, marine iguanas, plants, or finches that he originally thought to be wrens, warblers, or black birds. Additionally, he found that the island species were significantly different from the mainland species. Next, Darwin recorded thoughts of species diversity and evolution, but since his ideas went against current beliefs, he didn't try to publish his ideas too fast. In fact, he was disturbed by his own findings. One day, he received

On his visit to Galapagos Island, Charles Darwin discovered several species of birds. Upon his arrival in England, he discovered that the birds were actually the same species. Although they possessed certain similar characteristics the birds each had unique morphological qualities that made them differ from one another. This inspired his famous evolution theory, which is now a biological fact due to the enormous evidence supporting the theory.

Charles Darwin, a scientist in the 1800’s, wished to develop his understandings of the adaptations across species in different environments. To do this, he travelled to the Galapagos Islands on the HMS Beagle Survey Ship in 1835. A year later he returned to England, where his findings were recognised by the scientific community.

Charles Darwin was an intelligent man. He didn’t exactly succeed in the school institution even though his family was wealthy, they didn’t help Darwin with his courses in college. Dr. Robert Darwin, Darwin’s father sent him to medical school at Edinburg but unfortunately, Darwin flunked out and was sent to Cambridge University for ministry. At Cambridge his professor, John Henslow took Darwin scientific studies seriously and introduced him to influential people like Captain Robert Fitzroy of the royal navy. Darwin embarked on the HMS Beagle as Fitzroy’s naturalist unpaid companion. The caption was given two missions, completed a survey of the southern coast of South American and to obtain more accurate fixes of longitudes by using new instruments. Darwin plans were to observe and collect specimens on the voyage. One of Darwin’s most significant discoveries was his discovery of the finches located on the Galápagos Islands. The finches were a major key to Darwin's theory of natural selection. Traveling in the HMS Beagle also gave Charles Darwin the idea of the theory of evolution and natural selection.

His father rejected the scheme on the following grounds: It would be disreputable to his character as a Clergyman, it was a wild scheme, and they must have offered many people before him. (White and Gribben 49). Darwin was desperate to win his father’s approval knowing that it would be his only chance to make this once in a lifetime voyage. There was no way that Charles could afford this pricey expedition. He saw no hope until his best friend Jos Wedgewood, whom Dr. Darwin respected greatly, helped Charles compose a letter to his father pointing out the pluses of the voyage. Soon thereafter, Robert gave his approval.

     After school Darwin became naturalist on board the royal navy ship the Beagle. The Beagle left England on December 27, 1831 this was a small ship with a crew of 74, Darwin had a small laboratory and a hammock to sleep on, he suffered bad seasickness. Darwin’s job aboard the Beagle allowed him to study on many different continents. He

After graduation, he received a letter from his friend Henslow informing him that he knew of a sailor captain in search of a naturalist and thought Charles was best suited for the job. Though Robert Darwin was hesitant about letting his son go, he eventually caved. The journey that Charles Darwin went on became known as the Voyage of the Beagle. The ultimate goal of the journey was to study and map the coast lines of South America. Charles Darwin had been given the chance to explore a world unknown by Europeans. Not only that, but Charles would be able to do some science as well.

The HMS Beagle set out on its voyage far and wide with Darwin on board on December 27, 1813. Over the course of the excursion, Darwin recovered an assortment of characteristic examples, including fossils, birds, and plants. Through extreme research, he had an exceptional opportunity to watch the standards of topography, zoology, and natural science nearly. South America, The Galapagos Archipelago, and The Pacific Island were of sure enthusiasm to Darwin. Charles Darwin started to review his discoveries in the Diary of Examines, distributed as a component of Chief FitzRoy 's bigger report and later altered into the Zoology of the Voyage of the Beagle, once Darwin came back to Britain in 1836. The voyage enormously affected Darwin 's perspective of common history. He started to grow a significant hypothesis about the start of living creatures that was inverse to the famous perspective of different naturalists at once.