Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection

This study traces Charles Darwin's life and scientific development, recounting his formative education, natural-history voyage, and decades of observation that led to the formulation of natural selection. It follows the composition and publication of his key works, the exchange and joint presentation with Alfred Russel Wallace, and the reception and debate among contemporaries such as Lyell, Hooker, Huxley, and Asa Gray. It examines subsequent research on variation, pangenesis, human descent, and botanical studies, and discusses difficulties of reception and interpretation. The narrative interweaves biographical detail, correspondence, and analysis to explain how empirical evidence, correspondence, and scientific collaboration shaped the emergence and influence of the selection theory.