It's been called the most important scientific book ever. A stunning claim, but certainly Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology, published in 1830, shook prevailing views of how Earth had been formed.

The first stop of the HMS Beagle in January 1832 was Quail Island (today Island of Santa Maria), a small island located in the bay of Praia of the larger island of St. Jago (today Santiago in the Cape ...

Prologue : a peculiar obsession -- Part One. Darwin in the field. The lieutenant and the beetle collector -- Field trip with a master : the state of geology -- Setting out : the adventures begin -- ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American (Happy Darwin Day! I figured today of all ...

The famous opening words, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” of Charles Dickens’s 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities referred to the period of French Revolution. But he could equally ...

Ceri Nunn does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...