During his trip on the HMS Beagle Darwin made his discovery that greatly impacted society. On December 27, 1831, the HMS Beagle launched its voyage around the world with Darwin aboard. Over the course of the trip, Darwin collected a many of natural specimens, including birds, and plants. The focus of his new studies was the Galápagos Islands off the Pacific coast of Ecuador. Some neighboring islands had animal populations that were largely similar to that of the continent, while others had a different array of species. After observing finch specimens from the Galapagos, Darwin concluded that species must have an ability to alter over time. Darwin then proposed that as species modified, and as old species disappeared, new versions could be presented.