Final answer:
Charles Darwin's key contribution to the idea of evolution was the proposal of a mechanism called natural selection, which explains how species can change over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Charles Darwin's key contribution to the idea of evolution was the proposal of a mechanism called natural selection. Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection explains how species can change over time. He observed that species can adapt to their environment through small variations, and those individuals with traits that are advantageous for survival and reproduction are more likely to pass on their genes to the next generation. Over time, these advantageous traits become more common in the population, leading to the evolution of new species.