Charles Lyell

Charles Lyell was a 19th-century geologist whose work laid the foundation for modern geology. He is best known for his book "Principles of Geology," in which he argued that the Earth’s features were shaped by gradual processes over immense periods, a concept known as uniformitarianism. This principle suggests that the same natural laws and processes observed today, like erosion and sedimentation, have always been in operation, helping us understand Earth's history. Lyell's ideas challenged the belief that Earth's changes were sudden and catastrophic, influencing future scientists, including Charles Darwin, in their studies of natural processes and evolution.