Charles Darwin
Tag archives for Charles Darwin
Darwinism, Darwinian, Darwinist
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2013 
Happy Birthday Charles Darwin! Oh, and Abe Lincoln too. For Darwin’s birthday, I want to discuss the uses of the terms “Darwinism, Darwinian, and Darwinist.” Many have written about this and many don’t like any of those words, some seem to equally dislike all three. A couple of years back, writing for the New York…
Reflections on the Origin of Species
Posted by Greg Laden on November 24, 2009 The The Origin Of Species by Charles Darwin was published 150 years go as I write this. At the time, several different alternative theories of the origin and history of life were being discussed in the West. Some of these theories were theological. Theological ideas included a literal translation of the bible, with the flora,…
Darwin and Wallace 1858
Posted by Greg Laden on July 14, 2009 Darwin and Wallace, chillin’ Let’s talk about Darwin and Wallace’s joint presentation on Natural Selection in 1858. It is not usually the case that I write a blog post for a carnival. I usually just write for the blog, then now and then sit down and figure out which posts should go to with carnivals.…
Ken Ham and David Mento on Christian Radio in Minnesota
Posted by Greg Laden on February 23, 2009 details below the fold
Juan Enriquez: Beyond the crisis
Posted by Greg Laden on February 21, 2009 … on the economy. And some other related topics. (Darwin and human evolution at 16 minutes.)
Race, Gender, IQ and Nature
Posted by Greg Laden on February 18, 2009 Nature, the publishing group, not the Mother, has taken Darwin’s 200th as an opportunity to play the race card (which always sells copy) and went ahead and published two opposing views on this question: “Should scientists study race and IQ? The answers are Yes, argued by Stephen Cici and Wendy Williams of the Dept of…
Creationism and Evolution in the Classroom
Posted by Greg Laden on February 16, 2009 So, yesterday Afternoon, there was a meeting of the Minnesota Atheists that included a one hour panel discussion of evolution, creationism, science education, and so on. The panel was moderated by Lynn Fellman, and included (in order from right to left as the audience gazed on) Randy Moore, Sehoya Cotner, Jane Phillips, Greg Laden, and…
The Giants’ Shoulders # 8
Posted by Greg Laden on February 15, 2009 “The Giants’ Shoulders” is a monthly science blogging event, in which authors are invited to submit posts on “classic” scientific papers. Information about the carnival can be found here. The last Giants’ was hosted at The Questionable Authority, here. The next issue will be hosted at The Evilutionary Biologist: All Science, All The Time, which…
Blogospherics: Recommended reads
Posted by Greg Laden on February 14, 2009 A review of the Great Darwin Birthday Celebration at the Bell Museum is provided by Mike at TIUBG: What Separates Humanity from the Other Apes? … well, it’s mostly about my stuff, but whatever… Do you have a problem? Here is the solution. Trust me. Internet Blogospheric Guru Stephanie Zvan of Almost Diamonds makes a…
Larry Moran Reread The Origin
Posted by Greg Laden on February 14, 2009 It’s been a great pleasure to read the Origin of Specie … I had forgotten how clever Darwin was and how he carefully weighs his arguments for evolution. I had also fallen prey to several myths about the book. For example, I didn’t realize that Origin of Species is all about speciation and the difference…
Darwin Year Panel Discussion, Sunday in the Twin Cities
Posted by Greg Laden on February 14, 2009 Feb 15 – Darwin Year Panel Discussion Featuring Myers, Laden, Moore, Cotner and Phillips 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origins of Species. In honor of this, we have assembled a distinguished panel of scientists to give us their thoughts…
Hints and Tips for Kicking Butt on the Wii Mario Kart
Posted by Greg Laden on February 13, 2009 First of all, I want you to understand that I’m a lightweight in the Mario Kart game. Julia is not. So my pointers come mainly from watching her. (Watching her kick my butt, actually.) I also want to make a few other comments that are not tricks, tips, or “cheats” on how to win, but…
Darwin’s Birthday Gallup Poll on “Belief in Evolution”
Posted by Greg Laden on February 13, 2009 The Gallup Poll is not surprising in any of its results but it is, of course, alarming and interesting. Here’s a summary. On the eve of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, a new Gallup Poll shows that only 39% of Americans say they “believe in the theory of evolution,” while a quarter say…
Blorgospherics: Darwin
Posted by Greg Laden on February 13, 2009 Where Is This “Cult of Darwinism” I’ve Been Hearing So Much About? at The Scientific Activist. Celebrating Darwin, Celebrating Science at QM From Birth to The Origin: The Great Darwin Beard Challenge at Deep Sea News Darwin on Darwin at QM The Flying Trilobite does Darwin Day The Loom: A Good End to Darwin Day…
What I Had for Dinner Last Night
Posted by Greg Laden on February 13, 2009 Last night I had some grapes, some artichoke dip on bread, some cheese and crackers, and some Merlot in a plastic cup. Which can only mean one thing: I was at a catered event! Indeed, it was the Darwin Day celebration at the Bell Museum. There was Darwin Cake and the opening of two exhibits,…
President Obama on Darwin’s Birthday
Posted by Greg Laden on February 13, 2009 … and some other guy … You must go to just after six minutes 20 second. And then it’s like, one second long. But there is is. Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy Quiz: Who first and most consistently against slavery, Lincoln or Darwin?
Pagel on Darwin
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2009 Mark Pagel, evolutionary theorist extraordinaire, has published an Insight piece in Nature on Natural selection 150 years on. Pagel, well known for myriad projects in natural selecition theory and adaptation, and for developing with Harvey the widely used statistical phylogenetic method (and for being a reader of my thesis) wishes Charles Darwin a happy 200th…
Great Moments in Human Evolution: The Invention of Chipped Stone Tools
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2009 Or not. Much is made of the early use of stone tools by human ancestors. Darwin saw the freeing of the hands ad co-evolving with the use of the hands to make and use tools which co-evolved with the big brain. And that would make the initial appearance of stone tools in the archaeological record…
Elephants and Horses
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2009 In 1833, Darwin spent a fair amount of time on the East Coast of South America, including in the Pampas, where he had access to abundant fossil material. Here I’d like to examine his writings about some of the megafauna, including Toxodon, Mastodon, and horses, and his further considerations of biogeography and evolution.
Seed Does Darwin
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2009 Seed Magazine has a Darwin 200 page, here. It is loaded with cool Darwin stuff. Enjoy!
Don’t Forget Darwin’s Birthday Party Tonight!
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2009 At the Bell Museum. Details here. See you there!
Darwin Day on Quiche Moraine
Posted by Greg Laden on February 12, 2009 There are a few items related to Darwin’s Birthday on QM. Please have a look here, where you will find links.
Genuinely interesting things on the internet (blogospherics)
Posted by Greg Laden on February 11, 2009 First, please remember to check out our new blog, Quiche Moraine, here. Serious discussion time: Back, and feeling stuck (or musings on the two body problem) The spousal academic problem. Serious question: What does the economy mean for Women’s Studies? Californians, be careful with this: eBay CEO Meg Whitman Announces Bid For California Governor. She’s…
Rheas and the Birth of Evolutionary Theory
Posted by Greg Laden on February 11, 2009 Everyone knows about Darwin’s Finches, of the Galapagos Islands. But of course, Darwin made observations of birds throughout his travels on The Beagle. Here, I present a number of passages from The Voyage that include some of these observations.
Fossil Quadrupeds
Posted by Greg Laden on February 10, 2009 Charles Darwin wrote a book called Geological Observations on South America. Since Fitzroy needed to carry out intensive and extensive coastal mapping in South America, and Darwin was, at heart, a geologist more than anything else (at least during the Beagle’s voyage), this meant that Darwin would become the world’s expert on South American geology.…
Darwin Day Party
Posted by Greg Laden on February 10, 2009 Thursday, February 12, 2009, 7 to 9 p.m. Bell Museum Auditorium $10/ free to museum members and University students The speakers will present in the auditorium from 7 to 8 pm. Birthday cake and refreshments are served after the presentations. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birthday! Part of a world wide celebration, the…
mostest
Posted by Greg Laden on February 10, 2009 Most unnecessary controversy this week: Eluana Englaro Dead Dumbest thing I’ve see all week: Darwinism Must Die So That Evolution May Live Most current news of the day: SENATE OKS STIMULUS PLAN Most scariest commentary: Why It Truly Is Blood for Oil Most interesting Nature and Environment story of the day: Global warming changing birds’…
Darwin and The Gauchos
Posted by Greg Laden on February 9, 2009 We’re half way through Darwin Month, and only a tiny ways through the voyage. Need to hurry up! So, let’s skip ahead a bit and hit the Gauchos….
Darwin South of the Tropics
Posted by Greg Laden on February 9, 2009 Eventually, the Beagle headed south to the area of Uruguay and Argentina, still on the Atlantic Coast, where extensive mapping of the coastal waters was required.
Bugs (Darwin)
Posted by Greg Laden on February 9, 2009 When reading the Voyage, it is impossible to miss the observation that much of the time Darwin was engaged in adolescent boy behavior: Pulling the heads off insects, noting how long they would wiggle after cut in half, closely examining the ooze and guts, occupied much of his time. Obviously, careful observation and a strong…
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