Charles Darwin - Videos and Questions for students

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Have you ever heard the expression 'Survival of the fittest'?  This is a term used when we refer mostly to animals or plants, showing that the ones that are the strongest will survive and will procreate (have babies) which will also be strong.

Animals and plants adapt to survive in the situations they are.   The 'traits' that are the strongest or most favourable for them to survive, will be carried over to the babies. This concept of 'survival of the fittest' was first brought up by the scientist Charles Darwin.

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Charles was born in England in 1809 and died in 1882.

He is most famous for his work on natural selection, the idea that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors. This process involves favorable traits becoming more common in successive generations of living things while at the same time unfavorable traits become less common 

Darwin did a lot of research and found many evidence in plants from different countries that showed this 'natural selection' where the strongest plants would survive.  The ones which have adapted to their environment and carried it over to the new plants.

Many scientist accepted this theory of evolution, but there were still that did not believe it, even though Darwin did produce a lot of evidence.

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  1. What happened in 1835?
  2. What is the name of the book Darwin wrote and what is this book about?
  3. Name the three concepts that Darwin investigated.
  4. What is the meaning of 'adaption'?
  5. What is 'natural selection'?
  6. What is 'evolution'?
  7. Are Darwin's theories still studied today?

Darwin got very sick later in his life, but this did not stop him from continuing with his research and discoveries.

Other famous work by Charles Darwin includes: ‘The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals’, ‘The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex’, ‘The Power of Movement in Plants’ and ‘The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms’. 

As many scientist before him, Darwin had certain quotes that he used and are still relevant today.  Read some more on his quotes here.

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1 comments
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Howdy again anneke! It's amazing that these famous and brilliant men had such well known quotes that they are still in use today!

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