True or false: Charles Darwin was the first to attempt to explain how the diversity of life arose.True false question.

This statement is false. While Charles Darwin is well-known for his contributions to the theory of evolution through natural selection, he was not the first to attempt to explain the diversity of life. Prior to Darwin, several scientists and philosophers had proposed ideas about evolution and the origin of species, including Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, who suggested that organisms could pass on traits acquired during their lifetime to their offspring.

Darwin's work, particularly his book "On the Origin of Species," published in 1859, significantly advanced the understanding of how species evolve over time and offered a mechanism for evolution with his theory of natural selection. However, he was building on earlier ideas and findings from both his own observations and those of other thinkers. Therefore, the claim that he was the first to attempt this explanation is inaccurate.