Darwin Day—February 12, 2009
In Celebration of the 200th Birthday of Charles Darwin
February 12th is the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin. Coincidentally, this year is also the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's book "On the Origin of Species." Biological evolution is a foundational concept underlying all of modern biology. Modern genetics has provided an understanding of the mechanism by which natural selection takes place. The concepts involved in, and the teaching of, evolution have also been a part of an educational, scientific, religious, and cultural conversation in the United States.
Below is a list of various resources
related to evolution and Darwin. They've been collected these from many sources.
Thanks in particular to Larry Flammer, Ken Miller, Kevin Fisher, NSTA.
and David Vernot, who compiled this list.
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Evolution Resources page:
http://www.nsta.org/publications/evolution.aspx?lid=tnavhp
NSTA: Darwin Turns 200
http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=55659&lid=exp
The Pew Forum: The Debate About Evolution
http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=114
Evolution Resources webpage: Compiled by Ken Miller, author of the biology textbook challenged in the Dover, PA intelligent design trial.
http://www.millerandlevine.com/km/evol/
ScienceDaily.com (search on the keyword "evolution" produced the following hits)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/search/?keyword=evolution
Recent Science Magazines Evolution cover stories:
Scientific American, January 2009
The Evolution of Evolution (complete text below)
http://www.sciam.com/sciammag/?contents=2009-01
Descriptions, lesson ideas, and other links for use with this issue (by Larry Flammer)
http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/Evo.09.SciAmer.html
National Geographic, February 2009
Lots of emphasis on biogeographic evidence for evolution, something often ignored, but very compelling when you get into it, and this also brings in a convergence of ecology and paleontology.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/02/table-of-contents
Discover Magazine, March 2009
(selected articles online)
http://discovermagazine.com/2009/mar/04-discover-does-darwin
New York Times Science Section: Evolution articles.
The New York Times has a great set of articles about Charles Darwin in
their regular Tuesday science section. Here they are:
Seeing the Risks of Humanity?s Hand in Species Evolution (February 10, 2009)
Human predation is causing target species to evolve to reproduce at
younger ages and smaller sizes, to their short-term benefit but to the
long-term harm of the species.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/science/10humans.html
Darwinism Must Die So That Evolution May Live (February 10, 2009)
Equating evolution with Charles Darwin ignores 150 years of
discoveries, including most of what scientists understand about
evolution.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/science/10essa.html
Crunching the Data for the Tree of Life (February 10, 2009)
Biologists know how species are related but lack the tools to show off
their discoveries.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/science/10tree.html
Darwin, Ahead of His Time, Is Still Influential (February 10, 2009)
It is a testament to Darwin?s extraordinary insight that it took
almost a century for biologists to understand the essential
correctness of his views.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/science/10evolution.html
Genes Offer New Clues in Old Debate on Species? Origins (February 10, 2009)
The study of how species originate, a process known as speciation, is
not only one of evolution?s most active areas of study, but also one
of its most contentious.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/science/10species.html
Findings: Darwin the Comedian. Now That?s Entertainment! (February 10, 2009)
Richard Milner, a science historian, finds the funny side of Charles
Darwin, evolutionary giant.