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Facts About Charles Darwin

By Albert Joseph Albert Joseph
Level: Platinum

Profesional freelance writer currently living in Wyoming enjoying the fishing and the mountains. Lived overseas for ten years but now in Wyoming for fifteen years ...

Charles Darwin is a fascinating figure in history, few people have had as an enormous effect on mankind. The following are a few facts about this interesting man and his life.

Charles Darwin was born Feb.12, 1809, the same day as Abraham Lincoln. He died April 19, 1882, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.He married his first cousin Emma Wedgwood (of the Wedgwood china family).Charles and Emma had ten children. Three of his children died from illness. Two died while they were babies and one when she was ten years old. This last death of his ten-year old daughter Anne, was extremely hard on Darwin.His Theory of Evolution was not an original idea. Called "Transmutation" by others, it had been discussed and published by his Grandfather Erasmus and a French scientist Jean Baptiste Lamarck, as well as others.Went to medical school, but it didn't agree with him and he left early. He next started Theology school but left for his famous voyage on the H.M.S Beagle before completing his studies. Traveling around South America and Australia he gathered numerous samples of life which he kept and cataloged. Much of his findings were sent back to England and he was a famous man by the time he returned.His famous voyage on the H.M.S Beagle was just shy of five years and he was constantly sea-sick.While known by the public mainly for his book on Natural Selection; On the Origin of Species, he actually wrote another book on the same topic called The Descent of Man. Both books discussed his theories on Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest. The first concentrated on animals and the second on humans.Darwin's theories on evolution came to be known as Darwinism and used Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest as the sole reason for evolution, explicitly denying a Creator.

Darwin himself was a loving husband and father who doted on his children. He was also a strong abolitionist. Unfortunately, if you take his views on evolution to their logical conclusion they give support and credence to racism and eugenics.

Regrettably, many evil people (Hitler, Marx and Margaret Sanger) did take his theories seriously, and used them with inhuman and deadly results. To this day the origin of life and evolution is a hotly debated topic and Darwin is usually in the midst of it.

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Article Submitted On: February 21, 2011

Considering Geothermal Energy? Here Are the Facts on Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is an alternate source of energy. This kind is generated deep within the surface of the earth. Geothermal is a term that comes from two Greek words, geo which means earth and thermos which means heat. Therefore with this power source we are able to generate electricity.

Although the energy is found far beneath the earth it comes to the surface by way of geysers, hot water springs and volcanoes. This power is accessed through the use of geothermal plants. They are designed in such a way that enables us to use the steam from the interior of the earth on the surface. It is this steam that is used to rotate the turbines that ultimately produce electricity.

Just like with any other alternative source of power this kind has its own advantages and disadvantages. As for the advantages, this energy source is environmentally friendly. This is because during production you do not burn any fossil fuels in the process. To add on to that the power plant where all the production takes place does not add to the greenhouse effect.

It is also non exhaustive because heat will always be produced beneath the surface of the earth. As long as that continues to happen the steam will continue to be used to generate power. This source is efficient in the sense that the costs are fairly low, especially in the long run.

When it comes to its shortcomings, the major one is the availability issue. The heat is constantly being generated deep within the earth but it is not easy to find locations where it can be harnessed. To add on to that, although in the long run you will not be using a lot of money investing in the venture does not come cheap.

The other disadvantage is that although fossil fuels are not burnt in the process, as you exploit the steam within the earth there are other things that could happen as well. One of these is that you might disturb the methane deposits beneath the surface. When this happens the methane could be released into the atmosphere thus polluting the environment.

To conclude, an interesting fact about geothermal energy is that the power source is so vast that it is more than that of gas, coal and uranium joined together. The two leading countries in the world that produce this power are Iceland and the Philippines. If you are one of those folks who are environmentally conscious, this is something that is worth considering.