Sir CharlesLyell, (1797-1875), Scottish geologist, whose writings strongly influenced the development of modern geology.
Lyell was born in Kinnordy (now Angus) in Scotland, and educated at the University of Oxford. He studied law, but devoted himself almost entirely to science, particularly geology. Building on the pioneering work of the 18th-century Scottish geologist James Hutton, Lyell developed the theory of uniformitarianism. This theory says that the natural processes that change the earth in the present have operated in the past at the same gradual rate. Lyell supported his theory with geological observations that he made in the course of extensive travels in Europe and North America. Lyell's theories influenced the work of his friend Charles Darwin, who developed the theory of evolution.
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