Charles Robert Darwin was a British biologist. He took part in a 5-year expedition on the Beagle, a ship that traveled the world. His discoveries led to the publication of The Origin of Species, a major work in which he described his theory of the evolution of living organisms. The process behind this evolution is now better known as natural selection.
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1809: Charles Robert Darwin is born in England on February 12.
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1831: Darwin begins his great expedition on the Beagle. The voyage lasts 5 years.
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1836: Darwin publishes The Beagle Diary, making him a household name in the scientific community.
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1859: The Origin of Species is published, to mixed reviews (scientists and clerics disagree on the theory of evolution).
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1871: The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex is published.
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1872: The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals is published.
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1882: Darwin dies of a serious illness on February 19.