Charles Darwin was a Victorian 'gentleman scientist' best known for his 1859 book, 'On The Origin of Species'. References to Darwin or his work on biological evolution in the media are numerous. His celebrity and legacy continue to evolve both in reach and diversity as these (few) examples show:
Darwin's Greatest Legacy
Darwin's most important legacy is of course the theory of evolution itself. Although contemporary evolutionary theory has developed considerably since the publication of On the Origin of Species, the core ideas of the theory remain the same. These provide the framework within which all modern biological research is carried out.
One of Darwin's legacies is therefore the rapid advances in the biological sciences that have taken place over the past 50 years, leading to medical breakthroughs in which the treatment of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and arthritis have greatly improved.
Awards
Within the scientific community, the Royal Society (founded in England in 1660 to promote excellence in science) has awarded the Darwin Medal biennially since 1890 “in reward for work of acknowledged distinction in the broad area of biology in which Charles Darwin worked, notably in evolution, population biology, organismal biology and biological diversity”. The most recent recipient of this award was Professor Geoffrey Parker FRS in 2008 for his “lifetime contribution to the foundations and development of behavioural ecology, in particular for understanding evolutionary adaptations and their consequences for natural populations”.
In stark contrast to the Darwin Medal, but highlighting popular use of Darwin's celebrity, are the sardonic Darwin Awards. These are given to those who “do a service to Humanity by removing themselves from the Gene Pool” by losing their ability to reproduce either by death or sterilisation due to foolishness or ineptitude.
Commemoration
The Beagle Project, in creating a replica of Darwin's HMS Beagle, aims both to recreate Darwin's voyage and also to conduct 21st century research in evolutionary biology, biodiversity and climate change, building on Darwin's original 19th century work. The localities proposed include many which are inextricably linked with Darwin's own HMS Beagle voyage, including the South Pacific, Tierra del Fuego, the Galapagos Islands and the high Andes.
Within the academic community Darwin's work and name is commemorated by inclusion in almost any natural history museum in the world. London's prestigious Natural History Museum (itself a direct result of Darwin's impact on Victorian science, not to mention that of his champion Thomas Henry Huxley), is preparing to open a new Darwin Centre in September 2009, which will be a state-of-the-art scientific research and collections facility with a public space for visitors to explore the natural world.
Darwin College, University of Cambridge, is often assumed to be named solely for theology graduate-turned-naturalist Charles Darwin. Although undoubtedly the lasting fame and importance of Charles Darwin's work, coupled to his links to the University, were a factor, the University claims that Darwin College is so named because it is built upon land once owned by the Darwin family.
Social Darwinism and Eugenics
Other branches of academia are often viewed as having tainted Darwin's name, in particular the subject of Eugenics. A social philosophy developed by Darwin's cousin Francis Galton, which applied concepts outlined in The Origin of Species to human society, eugenics ultimately came to be negatively associated with governmental compulsory sterilization programmes for the mentally handicapped or 'undesired' races – particularly in Nazi Germany with its goals of genetic 'purity'.
Social Darwinism applies ideas of evolution and “survival of the fittest” to societies, nations and businesses. As a theory it became popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, and was used to defend various, sometimes contradictory, ideological perspectives. The term “Social Darwinism” originated in the 1890s, but became popular as a derogatory term in the 1940s with a publication by Richard Hofstadter.
None of these abuses of Darwinism are intrinsic to Darwin's theory of evolution itself, and by the standards of his time, Darwin was liberal and egalitarian in his views on race.
Geography
Several geographical locations bear Charles Darwin's name. Darwin, a settlement on the East Falkland Island was named after Charles Darwin spent just one night there - though the settlement was not founded until some 25 years later.
Darwin, capital of Australia's Northern Territories, was the site of a hydrographic survey carried out on 9 September 1839 by HMS Beagle on her third and final voyage as a research ship. Such was Darwin's fame during his own lifetime that his former shipmate, Commander John Clements Wickham, named the region in his honour though the city only officially took the name in 1911. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many community-based institutions and businesses of the locality now incorporate the name 'Darwin'.
Not all geographical references to Charles Darwin are related to his fame and contribution to science, as their naming predated these achievements. Mount Darwin (the highest peak in Tierra del Fuego) was named in celebration of Darwin's 25th birthday (1834) by HMS Beagle's captain Robert Fitzroy. The nearby expanse of water Darwin Sound was also named by Fitzroy in Darwin's honour in 1833 for Darwin's brave actions preventing crewmembers from being marooned when waves from a mass of ice splitting off a glacier threatened their boats.
Exploration and Conservation
Although the naming of HMS Beagle did not have anything to do with Darwin, many things have been named after the Beagle in honour of Darwin. For example, the failed expedition of the European Space Agency's Beagle 2 Mars Express was so named, explained Professor Colin Pillinger who headed the project, because:
"HMS Beagle was the ship that took Darwin on his voyage around the world in the 1830s and led to our knowledge about life on Earth making a real quantum leap. We hope Beagle 2 will do the same thing for life on Mars."
In a quirky coincidence, it was technology from this failed Beagle 2 which allowed researchers to locate the remains of Darwin's HMS Beagle from her final resting place in the Thames Estuary and led to a painstaking conservation effort, attempting to glean as much information from the hull remains as possible.
The Galapagos Islands are home to Darwin's Finches, famous for their role in the development of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. Santa Cruz island, part of the Galapagos archipelago, considers itself the natural home for the Charles Darwin Research Station, founded in 1964 and dedicated to scientific research and environmental education for conservation.
British Popular Culture
Within his home country, Darwin has largely enjoyed a respected fame in recognition of the importance of his work. His home in Kent, Down House, is owned by English Heritage (a conservation group) and is open to the public; his birthplace in Shrewsbury proudly declares itself Darwin Country. In the BBC's 2002 100 Greatest Britons poll, Darwin ranked 4th, and Darwin's face currently graces the UK £10 note. Darwin's letters with American botanist Asa Gray were recently made the subject of a play, Re:Design.
Public Celebrations
A number of different organisations promote Darwin Day (12th February – the date of Darwin's birth). Evolution Weekend, which takes place the weekend nearest to 12th February, aims to provide an opportunity for serious discussion and reflection on the relationship between religion and science.
The 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth is being marked by a huge range of celebratory events. These are listed at a Cambridge University web-site (http://darwin-online.org.uk/2009.html).
