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A series of free Evolution Week events at the Natural History Museum
Saturday 5 to Saturday 12 February 2005
Webcast live at www.nhm.ac.uk/darwincentre/live
When scientists
Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace proposed the theory of evolution
by natural selection, nearly 150 years ago, they changed the way we see
the world around us forever. Join a week of free events celebrating the
discovery that explains the relationship between every organism on the
planet, exploring what it means to modern science and building up to Charles
Darwin’s birthday celebrations on 12 February.
What is Evolution?
Saturday 5 February, 12.00 and 14.30
Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection changed the world,
from medicine and technology to the way we look at the history of life
and our origins. Join an exploration of the theory and discover why it’s
so much more than just the ‘survival of the fittest’.
Are We Still
Evolving?
Sunday 6 February, 12.00 and 14.30
Darwin’s theory paints a picture of a changing world, with species
continually mutating, diverging and evolving. But in the modern world,
with medical developments from in-vitro fertilisation to long-term care,
and a social jungle very different from the ’ancestral environment‘,
have we moved beyond evolution? Or is major mutation and speciation still
possible? Join an investigation into our possible future – or futures.
Darwin’s
Pigeons
Monday 7 February, 14.30
Many people credit ‘Darwin’s finches’, from the Galapagos
Islands, as the inspiration behind his theory of natural selection, but
they never actually featured in his book On the Origins of Species. Discover
why the humble pigeon is the real avian hero of evolution.
Evolution
in the Virtual World
Tuesday 8 February, 14.30
Natural selection doesn’t only happen in nature. Discover how computer
simulations are helping scientists and designers create better machines
and even living organisms and what they may be able to tell us about how
life began.
Designer Dogs
Wednesday 9 February, 14.30
Natural selection happens in the wild, but part of Darwin’s inspiration
came from the thousands of years humans have been artificially selecting
domestic animals. Join Nick Waters of the annual dog show Crufts for an
exploration of the hidden and very visible effects human intervention
has had on dogs.
Evolution
in Action – Modern Birds
Thursday 10 February, 14.30
Evolution is a slow process – part of what made it so hard for Darwin
to prove. But is it possible to observe evolution action? Join Oxford
professor Ben Sherman to glimpse an instant in evolutionary time.
The Hobbit
Man of Indonesia
Friday 11 February, 14.30
The recent discovery of a three-foot-high primate in Indonesia has been
hailed as one of the most surprising developments in the study of our
species. But what do the findings tell us about us and our history? Join
an exploration of the ‘hobbit' and what its discovery means to evolutionists.
Darwin Day
Saturday 12 February, 12.00 to 17.00
Join a fun and informative celebration of Charles Darwin’s birthday.
Events include an interactive introduction to Darwin’s theory and
a panel discussion on the influence of Darwin’s theory on science
and culture. There’ll also be short talks on the recent discovery
of the Indonesian 'hobbit' fossils, the 'new synthesis' between science
and genetics, and the truth behind the tale of how the leopard got his
spots.
Darwin Centre
Live in the GlaxoSmithKline Studio at the Natural History Museum is a
free programme of informal events where visitors can talk to scientists,
hear more about their work at the Museum and around the world and see
the fascinating specimens they work with. For further information, please
contact the Natural History Museum by calling 020 7942 5000 or visit www.nhm.ac.uk/darwincentre/live.
- Ends -
Visitor information
Dates: Saturday 5 to Saturday 12 February 2005
Admission: free
Venue: Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London
SW7 5BD
Visitor enquiries: 020 7942 5000 Monday–Friday, 020 7942 5011 Saturday
and Sunday
Website: www.nhm.ac.uk/darwincentre/live
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