When Charles Darwin announced his theory of evolution by natural selection, he did more than transform biology. Before his great work, humans were comfortably different from other life: a special creation. By showing how life on Earth evolved, Darwin told us that humans too are part of nature.

His decisive experience – a five-year round-the-world voyage on the Beagle – set him thinking about the diversity of life: ideas that would challenge the scientific establishment and Victorian society. Darwin for years built his evidence for evolution, even as he realised that such ideas were leading him straight into controversy and dispute.

This updated, concise yet informative account of Darwin’s life and work makes vividly clear the personal influences of the man and his work – and why his discoveries continue to influence us all.