Charles Darwin played a huge role in developing the theory of evolution by natural selection.
He was a British scientist who traveled the world on a ship called the HMS Beagle, observing animals, plants, and fossils.
During his journey, he noticed that species were adapted to their environments in different ways, and he started thinking about how species might change over time.
Darwin's big idea was natural selection—the process where animals or plants that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and have babies, passing on their helpful traits.
Over time, this leads to changes in species. He wrote about this in his famous book "On the Origin of Species" in 1859.
Darwin's work revolutionized biology and how people understand the natural world. His theory of evolution by natural selection is still a cornerstone of biology today.