While the concept of evolution existed before Darwin, Charles Darwin is credited with first describing evolution as a process of natural selection and adaptation.

Here's why:

* Darwin's contribution: In his groundbreaking book "On the Origin of Species" (1859), Darwin proposed that organisms with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous traits to their offspring. This process, known as natural selection, drives evolutionary adaptation over generations.

* Previous ideas: Before Darwin, other scientists like Lamarck proposed theories of evolution. However, their ideas focused on the inheritance of acquired characteristics, which has since been disproven. Darwin's theory of natural selection provided a more accurate and comprehensive explanation of how evolution occurs.

Therefore, although others explored the idea of evolution before him, Darwin's work laid the foundation for understanding evolution as a process of adaptation driven by natural selection.