Who was Charles Darwin, and what was his contribution to anthropology?

Charles Darwin was a naturalist renowned for proposing the theory of evolution through natural selection, a foundational concept in understanding biological diversity and the processes of evolution. His seminal work, "On the Origin of Species," published in 1859, articulated how species adapt and change over time due to environmental pressures and survival advantages. This theory profoundly impacted various fields, including anthropology, as it provided a scientific framework for understanding human evolution and our place within the animal kingdom.

Darwin's ideas encouraged anthropologists to explore the biological aspects of human development alongside cultural practices, fostering a more holistic view of humanity that incorporates both evolutionary biology and cultural anthropology. This approach has been vital in studying human origins, variation, and the relationship between biological and cultural evolution over time.