Darwin: The Man Who Changed the World On February 12, 1809, a child was born who would change the face of science, religion and ethics everywhere the world. His name was Charles Robert Darwin. Darwin's father was a doctor and was already forty-three years old when Charles was born at The Mount in Shrewsbury, England. Charles' four siblings were Marianne, Caroline, Susan and Erasmus. He was a bright but mischievous boy who made up crazy stories. Unfortunately, when he was only eight years old, his mother died and his sisters were left with the responsibility of the house, while his father became more introverted than ever. He didn't like school very much, probably because he was taught the classics and he didn't have an appreciation for them. However, five years later, he and his brother Erasmus Darwin opened a makeshift chemical laboratory in a shed, where they learned the basic scientific principles of experimentation. Obviously, as seen in his later life, Darwin had great potential for knowledge. At sixteen, his father took him out of school and scolded him for his laziness. It seems that Darwin was too inactive and that one of his few interests was mousetraps! His father made him an assistant in his medical practice so that young Darwin would apply himself and stay out of trouble. Then, his father decided that Charles should attend medical school, so that he could follow the career path of his father and grandfather. Unfortunately for Darwin's father, the restless Charles did not like living with his brother across the street from the university. Apparently, not only did Darwin find medicine absurdly boring, but the sight of blood repelled him! However, he enjoyed the chemistry classes taught there. His first year at school he didn't fit in... middle of paper......he was bored because now he had nothing left to do! His health slowly deteriorated and he then had violent seizures, chest pains and heart problems. He died on April 29, 1882, at 4:00 pm, surrounded by his family. Interestingly, contrary to popular belief, Darwin was not buried next to Sir Isaac Newton, but was in fact buried next to his old friend, Sir John Herschel. Newton's grave is about twenty feet away, and monuments to other famous men are scattered in the immediate vicinity. Overall, Darwin's life was full of contradictions. Once he hated geology, then he loved it. He created one of the greatest tools that help to undermine religion, but he himself never intended it for such use. In any case, no one can dispute that, for better or worse, in the seventy-three years that he lived, Charles Darwin truly changed our world..