2. Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin was a British naturalist
and geologist, who was born in 1809 and died
in 1882. He established that all species of life
have descended over time from common
ancestors.
3. He was the second youngest of
six children. Darwin came from a
long line of scientists. His father
was a medical doctor, and his
grandfather a renowned
(αναγνωρισμένος) botanist. In
October 1825, at age 16, Darwin
enrolled at Edinburgh University
along with his brother Erasmus.
Two years later, Charles Darwin
became a student at Christ's
College in Cambridge.
Charles Darwin
Painting of seven-
year-old Charles
Darwin in 1816.
4. In 1831, he set out on a five-year survey voyage
around the world on the HMS Beagle. His
studies of specimens around the globe led him
to formulate (διατυπώνω) his theory of
evolution and his views on the process of
natural selection.
The HSM Beagle
Survey Voyage
5. Survey Voyage
Leaving South America behind, HMS Beagle made
a five-week stop at the Galapagos Islands, 600
miles off the coast of Ecuador. The Galapagos
archipelago is a collection of small volcanic islands.
He studied finches (σπίνος), tortoises and
mockingbirds (ωδικό πτηνό) there, but he did not
find enough detail to come to any great
conclusion.
6. Theory of Evolution
Darwin's exposure to specimens raised
important questions. Other naturalists believed
that all species either came into being at the
start of the world, or were created over the
course of natural history. In either case, the
species were believed to remain the same
throughout time.
7. Darwin, however,
noticed similarities
among species all over
the globe, along with
variations based on
specific locations,
leading him to believe
that they had gradually
evolved from common
ancestors.
Theory of Evolution
8. He came to believe that species survived through a
process called "natural selection," where species
that successfully adapted to meet the changing
requirements of their natural habitat thrived, while
those that failed to evolve and reproduce died off.
Theory of Evolution
10. In November 1859 Darwin published his book
'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural
Selection‘.
His evolutionary
theory was a
matter of debate
for a lot of years.
11. The supporters
• The supporters of Darwin’s
theory were scientists such as
Joseph Hooker and Thomas
Huxley.
• Liberal Anglicans strongly
supported Darwin's natural
selection theory as an
instrument of God's design.
• The most enthusiastic response
came from atheists, with Hewett
Watson hailing(αποκαλώ)
Darwin as the "greatest
revolutionist in natural history of
this century".
Hooker in the 1860s
Huxley
12. The opponents
• The Church of England's strongly reacted
against the book.
• The Anglican establishment predominantly
opposed Darwin.
• Some scientists as well as Darwin’s tutors.
Caricatures
13. Today
Despite the wealth of evidence from genetics and
other fields of science, a few people still question its
validity. Some politicians and religious leaders
denounce (καταγγέλλω) the theory, invoking
(επικαλούμαι) a higher being as a designer to explain
the complex world of living things, especially humans.
But in spite of some exceptions, most people strongly
support this theory.
"If someone could really demonstrate a better
explanation than evolution and natural selection,
would be the new Darwin," Richmond said.
