283: Ecuador: Darwin's Adventure to the Galapagos

The podcast explores Charles Darwin's experiences in the Galapagos Islands and their impact on his developing theories. It highlights Darwin's initial geological interests and observations of the unique wildlife, including iguanas, tortoises, and finches. The discussion emphasizes how the distinct variations in species across different islands, particularly the finches' beaks adapted to specific food sources, began to challenge the prevailing belief in the constancy of species. John Gould's work in identifying thirteen distinct finch species is presented as crucial in sharpening Darwin's understanding. While the Galapagos Islands didn't lead to an immediate "eureka" moment, they provided key evidence that contributed to Darwin's later formulation of the theory of evolution by natural selection.