Darwin Day is annually observed across the globe on February 12th to commemorate the birth anniversary of the 19th-century British naturalist, Charles Darwin, who is well known for his work “The Theory of Natural Selection”.
The day highlights the contributions of Charles Darwin and celebrates Science.
Aim: To inspire people to follow their intellectual curiosities and to urge them to explore the truth through scientific means.
Background:
The establishment of the annual Darwin Day was initiated by three Darwin enthusiasts: Dr Robert Stephens; Prof. Massimo Pigliucci; and Amanda Chesworth.
- Dr Robert Stephens, motivated the Humanist Community in Silicon Valley to celebrate the annual Darwin Day Celebration in 1995.
- In 1997, Prof. Massimo Pigliucci organized the annual Darwin Day events at the University of Tennessee
- In 2000, Amanda Chesworth, joined the Stephens to officially incorporate the Darwin Day Program in New Mexico.
About Charles Darwin:
i.Charles Darwin was born in 1809 in Shrewsbury, England.
ii.He joined the British Royal Navy, the HMS Beagle, as a naturalist in 1831 and started his trip to survey the coastline of South America and chart its harbours to make better maps of the region.
iii.His experiences and observations during the trip helped him to develop the theory of evolution through natural selection.
iv.Charles Darwin died in 1882 in Down, Kent, England and was buried in Westminster Abbey in London, England.
Theory of Natural Selection:
i.The theory of natural selection states that individuals of a species are more likely to survive in their environment and pass on their genes to the next generation when they inherit traits from their parents that are best suited for that specific environment.
ii.Natural selection explains how the genetic traits of a species may change over time.
iii.Darwin published his thoughts on evolution and natural selection in “On the Origin of Species” in 1859.
