Charles Darwin



Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was a naturalist, geologist, and biologist who published dozens of scientific literary works. He's most well known for writing On the Origin of Species, the foundation of evolutionary biology, following a five-year expedition surveying the southern coast of South America.

Seen as the foremost figure in understanding biological evolution, Darwin is often the centerpiece of documentaries related to the subject, and has been depicted in a number of dramatizations including a 2009 film starring Paul Bettany (opposite Jennifer Connelly). He serves as the namesake for the Darwin Awards, a cheeky honor bestowed upon those who have removed themselves from the evolutionary gene pool, and can often be seen erroneously caricatured alongside parodies of the "March of Progress" illustration that wasn't introduced into pop culture until a 1965 publication from Time-Life.