How did Charles Darwin change people’s understanding of living things?

Question

He developed the theory of evolution, which says that living things change over time.
He discovered bacteria and proved they cause infections to spread in living things.
He discovered how traits are passed to the next generation in living things.
He showed that it is possible to prevent many diseases and thereby protect living things.

Answer 1

Charles Darwin fundamentally changed people's understanding of living things primarily through his development of the theory of evolution by natural selection. This theory posits that living things change over time through a process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring. This explanation provided a scientific rationale for the diversity of life on Earth and the adaptation of species to their environments.

The other points mentioned are more closely associated with different scientific advancements or figures, such as the discovery of bacteria (which is often attributed to scientists like Louis Pasteur), the understanding of heredity (which became more prominent with Gregor Mendel's work), and advancements in medical science aimed at preventing diseases. Darwin's contributions largely center on the idea of evolution and the natural processes that drive changes in living organisms over generations.