Victorian Science: Charles Lyell + Charles Darwin

Victorian Science: Charles Lyell & Charles Darwin

By: Amber, Greg, and Drew

Victorian Era and Science (overview)

Sir Charles Lyell: Life

Charles Darwin (life)

• 1837-1901
• Advancement in medicines (anesthetics/antibiotics).
• We still use technology developed from this period today.
• "The Golden Age" of the 19th century.

How are they related?

• B. Nov 14,1797, Scotland
• D. Feb 22,1875, London
• given title of Baronet in 1864 (Britannica)
• eldest of 10 children
• father was a naturalist and Dante scholar
• planned to become a barrister
• On starting to lose his eyesight moved towards geology

• B. Feb. 12, 1809, Shrewsbury, England
• D. April 19, 1882, London
• Darwin came from a long line of scientists.
• Inspired by Lyell and his writings, as well as by Malthus

(Dickenson)

Lyell Cont.

• Darwin and Lyell were both friends and colleagues.
• Darwin was inspired by Lyell's work and used it to support his own.
• Lyell came to Darwin's aid during the "Delicate Arrangement."

• collected butterflies though considered unmanly
• advocated uniformitarian view of geology (Victorian web)
• traveled to all over to find support for his principles.
• The Principles of Geology (12 vols)
• made several revisions to this work

Charles Lyell: Geology

(Millais)

• Primary belief was that all the past changes of the Earth can be detailed by forces now acting.
• Basis of modern Geology.
• Catastrophism
• Geological approach = assessment of evolution in a wider sense.
• Explanation of Earthquakes
• "Backed-Up Building" of Volcanoes
• Created the geological eras as we now know them (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic)
• Knighted in 1914 for his scientific achievements.

(Fossil Bryozoan Collection)

Darwin Cont.

Charles Darwin:

Evolution

• In 1831, he embarked on a five-year survey voyage around the world on the HMS Beagle.
• On the Origin of Species (1859)
• Unlike Lyell attempted to preserve his faith (Anglicanism).

Works Cited

Images Cited

• Transmutation.
• All life is related and has descended from a common ancestor.
• Natural selection.
• Didn't publish his discoveries/theories until nearly 20 years after their discovery.

Fun Facts!

Lyell

Darwin

• He was one of the first to contribute his books to help found the Chicago Public Library after the Great Chicago Fire.
• Many places have been named after him.

• Didn't coin the phrase "survival of the fittest."
• Featured on the ten pound note.
• Made a pro/con list on whether to marry or not.
• Born on the same day as Abraham Lincoln.
• Color blind

• "Sir Charles Lyell, Baronet". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2016 <http://www.britannica.com/biography/Sir-Charles-Lyell-Baronet>.
• "Charles Lyell (1797-1875) Geologist." Charles Lyell (1797-1875) Geologist. The Victorian Web, 28 Sept. 2002. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. <http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/science/lyell.html>.
• Editors. "Charles Darwin Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/charles-darwin-9266433#related-video-gallery>.
• "Charles Darwin: Sitemap." Charles Darwin: Sitemap. N.p., 6 Nov. 2015. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. <http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/science/darwin/index.html>.
• "Darwin's Views of Religion: His Agnosticism and His Reasons for Rejecting Christianity." Darwin's Views of Religion: His Agnosticism and His Reasons for Rejecting Christianity. The Victorian Web, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/science/darwin/religion2.html>

• Dickenson, Lowes Cato. Lyell, Sir Charles, Baronet. Digital image. Encyclopaedia Britannica. N.p., 25 June 2014. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. <http://www.britannica.com/biography/Sir-Charles-Lyell-Baronet>.
• Millais, Sir John Everett, Bt PRA. Charles Darwin. Digital image. The Victorian Web. N.p., 26 Mar. 2012. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. <http://www.victorianweb.org/victorian/painting/millais/paintings/36.html>
• Fossil bryozoans from the Miocene of Touraine, France, mounted and annotated by William Lonsdale for the famous geologist Sir Charles Lyell. Digital image. Fossil Bryozoan Collection. Natural History Museum, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/collections/palaeontology-collections/fossil-bryozoan-collection.html>

(Sierra)

(Meme Center)

(BBC)

Works Cited Cont.

Images Cited Cont.

• "Charles Lyell: Principals of Geology." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/02/4/l_024_01.html>.

• Klein, Christopher. "10 Things You May Not Know About Charles Darwin." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-charles darwin>.

• UK. BBC. BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zq8gcdm>. (also image of monkey with Darwin head)

• "Ten Fun Facts about Charles Lyell." 10 Facts about Charles Lyell. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.10-facts-about.com/Charles-Lyell/id/351>.

• Sierra. "Mount Lyell." : Photos, Diagrams & Topos : SummitPost. N.p., 5 Nov. 2010. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.summitpost.org/mount-lyell/677931>.
• "150 Years of On the Origin of Species: The Historical Journey from Specimens to Species to Genes." University of Missouri, 2 July 2009. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <https://library.missouri.edu/exhibits/darwin/genes.htm>. (letter to lyell)
• "Meme Center - Largest Creative Humor Community." MemeCenter. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. <http://www.memecenter.com/search/darwin>.

(University of Missouri)