Charles Darwin, author of On the Origin of Species
Charles Robert Darwin, who was born on February 12, 1809 and died on April 19, 1882, was a naturalist and biologist known for his theory of evolution and the process of natural selection. He is most referenced for being associated with the phrase “survival of the fittest” although the phrase did not originate from his studies. Born in Shrewsbury, England, in 1831 he embarked on a five-year survey voyage around the world on the HMS Beagle; his studies of specimens, especially in the Galapagos Islands, led him to devlope his theories on evolution. In 1859, he published On the Origin of Species. This publication has been scrutinized heavily, especially in the religious community.