Charles LyellCharles Lyell was a British lawyer and one of the most intelligent geologists known in his day. He was known as the author of the Principles of Geology, which helped popularize the theories and concepts of uniformitarianism. The Principles of Geology was the first book written by Lyell and explained changes in the Earth's surface. He used the research and information in the book as evidence to determine that the earth was more than 6,000 years old. The central argument in his book was “the present is the key to the past”, which meant that to find out what happened in the past you have to look at what is happening now. He explained that the changes that happened in the past, are happening in the present and will happen in the future. Lyell's book was subsequently published in three volumes from 1830 to 1833. Upon publication, it gave him credentials as a major geological theorist. His book later influenced the young Charles Darwin. Lyell's influential book led Darwin to follow his principles and they later became friends. Darwin began to explore the changes occurring on earth and develop his theories of evolution, although Charles did not completely approve of Darwin's theory of evolution. Lyell was a devout Christian, and Darwin's theory of evolution was not in line with Lyell's beliefs about natural selection. Darwin continued his research and beliefs and became a scientist working with his theories of evolution. Charles Lyell was born on 14 November 1797 in Kinnordy, Scotland. Charles was the eldest of 10 children and his father, whose name was also Charles, was a lawyer and botanist. Charles' father was the one who first exposed him to nature. The house where Charles was born is located in the northwest...... in the center of the map area. Fourth, there is the Lyell Range that bears his name in the north-west of Western Australia and, finally, there is the jawless fish Cephalaspis Lyelli of the Old Red Sandstone of southern Scotland. He was known for uniformitarianism along with James Hutton, John Playfair, Lamarack, and William Buckland. Lyell also influenced many people, including Charles Darwin, Alfred Russell Wallace, Thomas Henry Huxley, and Roderick Impey Murchison. He made many scientific contributions and much of his work is still recognized today. Bibliography Wikipedia. Gould, Stephen Jay. Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology. 1854 edition.• Lyell, Charles (1830), Principles of Geology 1, London: John Murray• Lyell, Charles (1832), Principles of Geology 2, London: John Murray• Lyell, Charles (1833 ), Principles of Geology 3, London: John Murray