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Variability in traits occurs within and between populations. How does this variability arise? Does the variability within a population change over time. Charles Darwin had the chance to observe different populations of plants and animals as a naturalist on the ship, the H.S. Beagle. As the ship traveled along the eastern and western coasts of South America charting the coastline, Darwin observed, collected, and cataloged thousands of plants and animals. In the years subsequent to his travels, he began to formulate ideas which accounted for the changes that he observed. These ideas were ultimately formulated into the theory of evolution and were published in 1859 in a book entitled The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. Let's now meet the man behind the theory of evolution.