33 Interesting Facts About Charles Darwin

Last updated on March 16th, 2020

28. Fear of society: Due to the prevailing belief regarding the evolution of humankind, Darwin was wary of losing his reputation because of his thoughts on evolution. He described his experience as “living in Hell” while he wrote the theory, which contradicted the common belief of evolution at the time. Nobody wanted to learn that they descended from apes, which worried Darwin for much of the time.

29. The best-selling book: On the Origin of Species became a bestseller worldwide, and went into multiple editions.

30. The famous phrase: the phrase, “survival of the fittest” comes from Herbert Spencer’s 1864 publication, “Principles of Biology.” The term is largely thought to have been coined by Darwin regarding his thoughts on evolution; however, this is a wrong assumption.

Interesting facts about Charles Darwin

31. Connection with Abraham Lincoln: Another interesting fact about Darwin is that he was born on the same day Abraham Lincoln was born – February 12, 1809. Darwin and Lincoln both lost their mothers at a young age, and reportedly suffered from depression. And both men were equally important for changing the world with their accomplishments.

32. Portrait on 10-pound note: A portrait of Darwin has appeared on the British 10 pound note since the year 2000. However, it will be replaced with that of the author Jane Austen in early 2017.

33. Buried: Darwin is buried in Westminster Abbey just a few feet away from another famous scientist, Sir Isaac Newton. He earned the special privilege because of his important work on the theory of evolution. The simple inscription on Darwin’s grave reads: “CHARLES ROBERT DARWIN BORN 12 FEBRUARY 1809. DIED 19 APRIL 1882.”

Darwin’s Grandfather Erasmus Darwin, from his 1794 book Zoonomia, wrote: “Would it be too bold to imagine, that all warm-blooded animals have arisen from one living filament…?”

Charles Darwin, from On the Origin of Species wrote: One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die.

Famous quotes by Charles Darwin

1. “A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life.”

2. “To kill an error is as good a service as, and sometimes even better than, the establishing of a new truth or fact.”

3. “The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts.”

4. “A man’s friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.”

5. “I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term of Natural Selection.”

6. “Man tends to increase at a greater rate than his means of subsistence.”

7. “A moral being is one who is capable of reflecting on his past actions and their motives – of approving of some and disapproving of others.”

8. “A scientific man ought to have no wishes, no affections, – a mere heart of stone.”

9. “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

Charles Robert Darwin – Quick facts