The Voyage of Charles Darwin
Season 1
The series encompasses Darwin's university days to the 1859 publication of his book "On the Origin of Species" and his death and is based on Darwin's own letters, diaries, and journals, especially The Voyage of the Beagle and The Autobiography of Charles Darwin.
Where to Watch Season 1
7 Episodes
- I Was Considered a Very Ordinary BoyE1
I Was Considered a Very Ordinary BoyAfter denying his father's wish to become a physician or theologian, Darwin makes acquaintance with Professor Henslow, who recognizes his talent for geology and biology, thereby supporting him to join the travel of Captain FitzRoy for mapping the coasts of South America. - My Mind Was a Chaos of DelightE2
My Mind Was a Chaos of DelightThe three years voyage starts. Darwin has to come over his seasickness, he learns to team-up with the crew of the small ship and makes first steps toward his later profession when he set foot on the shore of Brazil, learning the richness of diversity of flora and fauna but also the inhumanity of slavery when he visits a Scottish farmer. - How Wide Was the Distance Between Savage and Civilised Man?E3
How Wide Was the Distance Between Savage and Civilised Man?After facing the fearful gales of Cape Horn the Beagle turned north into the quieter waters of Tierra del Fuego. On board Captain FitzRoy had three Indians, whom he planned to return to their homeland to found a Christian colony. But from the start, Darwin was filled with misgivings about the success of the experiment. - Can any Mountains, Any Continent, Withstand Such Waste?E4
Can any Mountains, Any Continent, Withstand Such Waste?In September 1833 Darwin set out to cross the Argentine pampas, heading for Buenos Aires. Immediately he found himself in the midst of a bitter struggle between the local Indians and the forces of General Rosas, who were engaged in a policy of extermination. ' I was made vividly aware of the relentless struggle for existence going on around me. Who would have believed, in a Christian country, that such atrocities could be committed? ' - I Felt Myself Brought Within Reach of that Great Fact, That Mystery of MysteriesE5
I Felt Myself Brought Within Reach of that Great Fact, That Mystery of MysteriesIn 1835 an earthquake destroyed the town of Concepcion in Southern Chile. The effect of it was felt on board the Beagle, and a few days later Darwin witnessed the devastation for himself. It confirmed his view that the whole range of the Andes had been pushed up from the bed of the ocean. - Suppose That All Animals and All Plants are Represented by the Branch of a Tree, the Tree of LifeE6
Suppose That All Animals and All Plants are Represented by the Branch of a Tree, the Tree of LifeOn the Galapagos Islands, Darwin observed subtle differences between the inhabitants of one island and those of another. But he nearly missed the significance of the little brown finches. Some had beaks thin enough to pick up seeds from the hard ground; others had beaks thick enough to crack a nut. Here was the clue which led him directly to the theory of natural selection. - In the Distance Future, Light Will Be Thrown on the Origin of Man, and His HistoryE7
In the Distance Future, Light Will Be Thrown on the Origin of Man, and His HistoryWhen The Origin of Species was first published, it was denounced as the work of the devil from pulpits up and down the land, and banned from university college libraries. Scientific opinion and Christian doctrine were in open conflict about one of the most profound and basic of all mysteries - the beginnings of life on our planet. The great debate reached its climax at the famous Oxford Meeting of the British Association in 1860.