Some of the early scientists who inspired Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin has served as an inspiration for Steven Rindner and other bio majors. His works on biology, natural history, geology, and the science of evolution are still relevant today.

Perhaps Darwin's most famous exploit was his five-year scientific expedition during the voyage of the HMS Beagle. His observations of various specimens, creatures, fossils, ecosystems, rock formations, and other natural elements contributed to his development of the theory of evolution. To say that he revolutionized the field of biology is an understatement.

However, like most scientists, Darwin did not build his theories entirely on his own. He also found inspiration from other earlier scientists and thinkers. Steven Rindner, a New York-based bio student, discusses those people in this blog.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

The French naturalist was one of the first people who proposed that species change over time and that humans evolved from a lower species. During a time when most people in the society believed that the Earth was just several thousand years old and all species were created at the same time, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's evolutionary ideas helped inspire the likes of Darwin to study more about nature.

Charles Lyell

The Scottish geologist, Charles Lyell, is one of the most influential scientists in history. He argued that the Earth's surface slowly took form through a series of geological changes and processes over very long periods. Lyell also inferred that the planet was way older than most people believed. Darwin had his book, the "Principles of Geology," when he was aboard the HMS Beagle.

Thomas Malthus

Thomas Malthus was an English economist. His work had one of the greatest impacts on Darwin's life. Darwin's theory on natural selection and survival of the fittest was influenced in part by Malthus's belief that human populations grow faster than the resources they rely on. When this happens, famines and disease outbreaks can occur, and the weakest or least fit members would not survive. Steven Rindner and other bio aficionados use this to remind people nowadays to do their part in preserving the environment.