The biography series, aimed at young adults, profiles important modern-era scientists. The volumes focus on the lives of those men and women who, in the 19th and 20th centuries, made the greatest contributions to scientific knowledge. Each book looks at a scientist - or group of scientists - whose work had a major impact on a particular field. In simple prose, free of technical jargon, each scientist's achievements are discussed, including the scientific principles underlying his or her work. The human drama of scientific work, conveying the excitement and frustration of research, as well as the exhilaration and rewards of discovery, are also depicted. This particular volume presents a biography of Charles Darwin, offering an appreciation of the scientist who changed our understanding of our origins and whose theory of evolution effectively transformed western thought. The book follows the story of Darwin through his epic voyage aboard the HMS Beagle to the impact of his scientific legacy, felt even today in such disparate fields as religion, politics and anthropology.