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James Hutton
James Hutton was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was one of five children and attended the High School of Edinbough. He then moved to the University of Edinbourgh. He was a physician, geologist, experimental agriculturalist and a naturalists. Hutton's theory was called Uniformitarianism, which was basically explaining that features of the world were formed by natural processes over geological time. He published a book named "Theory of the Earth" and is considered the "Father of Modern Geology". -
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Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin was born in Nottinghamshire, England. He was a British Physician, poet and botanist. He is the
grandfather of Charles Darwin. He went to Chesterfield High School then later studied at St. John’s College. Erasmus Darwin’s most important scientific work is his book ‘Zoonomia’ which is also known as the ‘Laws Of Organic Life’. It contains a system of pathology, anatomy, psychology and the functioning of the body. He also published "The Philosophy of Agriculture". -
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William Paley
William Paley was born in Peterborough, United
Kingdom. He was an English clergyman, Christian apologist and philosopher. He attended Giggleswick School, then
University of Cambridge and Christ’s College. Paley wrote several books on philosophy and Christianity. One of his books "A View of the Evidence of Christianity" was a required book in Cambridge University. Paley’s most influential book was named ‘Natural Theology: Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity..." -
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Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was born in Northern France. Lamarck was the youngest of eleven children. He started off as a soldier in the French army and then he studied medicine and botany and quickly became an expert Lamarck published a series of books on invertebrate zoology and paleontology explaining his theories of evolution. Unfortunately his theories were ignored throughout his whole lifetime and died in poverty and obscurity. Later other evolutionists recognised him for his contributions. -
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John Henslow
John Henslow was born in Rochester, England. Henslow was a clergyman, botanist and geologist. He is best known as a friend and a mentor to his famous pupil, Charles Darwin. Henslow has written many books throughout his career, although he is most famous for being the teacher of Charles Darwin, teaching his pupil many scientific techniques. -
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Charles Lyell
Charles Lyell was born in Scotland. He was the eldest of ten children. Lyell attended a series of private schools where he was not a diligent student. He was a British lawyer and the most famous geologist of his day. Lyell was known for his view that all features on the Earth’s surface are produced by physical, chemical and biological processes through long periods of time, this was called Uniformitarianism. He wrote a book called "Principles of Geology" and proved the Earth was > 6000 years -
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Robert Chambers
Robert Chambers was born in a small town consisting of little more than one street. He was a Scottish publisher, geologist, author and an evolutionary thinker. Robert and his brother William Chambers were very influential in the mid 19th century scientific and political circles. Chamber’s most famous work was his book ‘Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation".This book covered the formation of the Solar System and the development of plant and animal life. This book was published anonymously -
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Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England. He was the grandson of famous physician Erasmus Darwin. He is well known for his work as a naturalist, where he developed a theory of evolution to explain biological change. Charles Darwin’s book ‘The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection’ is known to be one of his best books. In it, it explains his idea of the theory of evolution. He brings together evidence to show that living things change over time. -
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Alfred Wallace
Alfred Wallace was born in England. Wallace was a humanist, naturalist, a collector, geographer and a social critic. Wallace was a collector of more than 120,000 animal specimens. He became a public figure during the second half of the 19th century, most known for his views on scientific, social and spiritualist subjects. Wallace published a highly successful narrative of his journeys, he wrote "The Malay Archipelago: The Land of the Orangutan and the Birds of Paradise" and others.