Facts about Charles Darwin
- 10
Darwin's beard, which he grew after returning from the Beagle voyage in 1836, became so iconic that it appeared in numerous Victorian-era caricatures and became inseparable from his public image as a naturalist.
- 09
A 1868 work titled The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication explored hereditary mechanisms across 1,400 plant and animal varieties, representing Darwin's most comprehensive study of inheritance before understanding genes.
- 08
By cross-breeding pigeons selectively for eight years, Darwin demonstrated the principles of artificial selection that supported his theory of natural selection through observable hereditary variation.
- 07
Emma Wedgwood, Darwin's first cousin and wife of 27 years, shared more genetic material with him than typical spouses due to their family connection within the prominent Wedgwood pottery dynasty.
- 06
Darwin's theory of natural selection was independently conceived by Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858, prompting Darwin to finally publish Origin of Species the following year after 20 years of private deliberation.
- 05
At age 22, Charles Darwin accepted a position as a naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle, earning no salary but gaining passage for his transformative voyage.
- 04
Chronic digestive illness plagued Charles Darwin for 40 years after his 1836 return from the Beagle voyage, causing him to work from home in Down House.
- 03
In 1882, Charles Darwin's burial at Westminster Abbey drew crowds of mourners, including representatives from scientific institutions worldwide, cementing his status as a preeminent naturalist.
- 02
The Origin of Species sold 1,250 copies on its first day of publication in November 1859, making it an immediate commercial success.
- 01
During his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle from 1831 to 1836, Charles Darwin collected over 1,300 specimens of preserved animals and plants.