Biologist · 1809 – 1882

Charles Darwin

Little-Known Facts

  • Darwin delayed publishing his theory for some twenty years, partly fearing the controversy it would cause.
  • He was prompted to publish when Alfred Russel Wallace independently arrived at a similar theory.

Myths & Misconceptions

Did Darwin say humans descended from monkeys?

Not exactly. He argued that humans and apes share a common ancestor, not that humans descended directly from modern monkeys.