Charles Darwin’s original version of the theory of evolution is being published on the internet today.
The first draft of the paper was among thousands of the scientist's papers being made available online by Cambridge University.
Documents stored at the university library can be seen for free at
www.darwin-online.org.uk
A university spokesman said the publication was the largest of its kind and features about 20,000 items and nearly 90,000 images.
"As well as the first draft of his theory of evolution, the vast collection of Darwin-related items includes thousands of notes and drafts of his scientific writings, notes from the voyage of the
Beagle -with his musings on Galapagos birds - and his first recorded doubts about the permanence of species," said
the spokesman.
Darwin - who outlined outlined the Theory of Evolution in his work On the Origin of Speciesin 1859 - was born in Shrewsbury in 1809.