Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history, and he was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey. In a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace, he introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding. His proposition that all species of life have descended from common ancestors is now widely accepted and considered a fundamental concept in science. Hooker, Huxley, Romanes, Haeckel, LubbockĬharles Robert Darwin FRS FRGS FLS FZS ( / ˈ d ɑːr w ɪ n/ 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist and biologist, best known for his contributions to the science of evolution.
