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Charles Darwin revolutionized scientific thought with the publication of On the Origin of Species in 1859, an event that is commonly regarded as the foundation of modern biology. Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection has withstood 150 years of intense scientific scrutiny. It has been confirmed, reinforced, and expanded by every aspect of modern genetics. The exciting and awe-inspiring science of evolution is the foundation of humankind’s understanding of the natural world, a defining idea of the modern mind, and one of the most important concepts of all time.
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2009 marks the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birthday and the sesquicentennial of his seminal publication. Darwin 2009 honors these two significant milestones with a year-long celebration of Darwin’s life, his contributions to science, and continuing development in scientific knowledge.
The mission of Darwin 2009 is to engage a broad audience in discussing the power of evolution in explaining life, the impact of evolution in science, medicine, psychology and philosophy and the importance of evolution and science in education. This is a global celebration and many universities, museums, libraries and other organizations are coordinating events to celebrate these anniversaries. |
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Charles Darwin, painted by George Richmond in 1840, only a few years after the voyage of The Beagle.
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Dr. Louis Leakey was greatly inspired by the notion, put forth by Charles Darwin, that man had in fact arisen in Africa. As a tribute to Darwin, who inspired Dr. Leakey to pursue our origins, and in spirit with the Darwin 2009 celebration, The Leakey Foundation and its partners present our 2009 Speaker Series on Human Origins
Leakey & Darwin: Revolutionaries
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Dr. Jill Pruetz, Iowa State
"Redefining Chimpanzees: How Savanna Chimpanzees Inform our Understanding of Human Evolution" Read more.
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Saturday, April 4, 2009
Dr. Dan Lieberman, Harvard
"Survival of the swiftest, smartest, or fattest: Human Evolution 150 years after Darwin." Read more.
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Thursday, April 9, 2009
Dr. Jeannie Sept, Indiana University, Bloomington
"The Meat & Potatoes of Human Evolution: Dietary Debates and the African Evidence"
Read more. |
In addition to the Speaker Series on Human Origins, many of the Foundation’s partners have a full schedule of events celebrating Darwin; please find links to their websites below:
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