On This Date - Charlie Grimes

On October 8, 1835, Charles Darwin, aboard the HMS Beagle, landed on James Island in the Galapagos - one of the most important stops on his voyage. Surveying the animals, such as turtles, finches, and iguanas for extended periods of time, Darwin developed his revolutionary (or should I say... evolutionary?) theory of evolution by process of natural selection. By suggesting that humans and animals shared a common ancestor, Darwin sent shockwaves through the very conservative and religious Victorian society of the time. This theory serves as the basis for many fields of science, and is incredibly important to understanding the ways our world works. Darwin is regarded as one of the most influential figures in human history, and I must agree. The theories of evolution and natural selection play such a massive role in our lives, shaping a large amount of our behavior. Every characteristic we possess, every instinct we have, most everything we do somehow ties back into Darwin's theories.