Final answer:
Charles Lyell was a pivotal figure in geology, known for the 'Principles of Geology' and promoting uniformitarianism. His work influenced Darwin's evolutionary theory by proposing a much older Earth, allowing more time for evolutionary processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Scottish geologist Charles Lyell (1797-1875), is renowned as the father of modern geology. His significant work, the Principles of Geology, advocated the concept of uniformitarianism, which posits that the earth's geological processes have been consistent over time. Lyell's ideas played a crucial role in extending the perceived age of the Earth from a few thousand years to millions of years, thus providing a new framework for understanding the geological past and influencing evolutionary theory, particularly the work of Charles Darwin.
Lyell's principle of uniformitarianism - the idea that the same natural laws and processes that operate in the universe now, have always operated in the universe in the past and apply everywhere in the universe - indicated that the Earth was much older than the previously accepted age based on biblical calculations. By suggesting the Earth's greater age, Lyell provided the necessary timescale for biological evolution to occur, supporting Darwin's theory of natural selection.