In Darwin's footsteps
British Library exhibition offers personal exploration of an idea that shocked the world
Folio Society Gallery Exhibition at the British Library
10 December 2008 - 22 March 2009
Twenty years in the making, the publication of 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859 completely revolutionised modern scientific thinking and established Charles Darwin as one of the most influential thinkers of all time. In recognition of the 200th Anniversary of Darwin's birth, the British Library is launching Darwin and the Story of Evolution on 10 December; a folio gallery exhibition revealing the intellectual journey made by the man behind the theory.
Darwin's theory was the result of the gradual germination of ideas and was not, as is often suggested, the result of any particular 'eureka' moment. In order to process his ideas, he created a 'sand walk' at his home, Down House in Kent, which he used every day accompanied by his white terrier Polly. Rain or shine, without fail, Darwin used this time to observe nature and reflect on his many experiments and his years travelling the world with the HMS Beagle, meticulously piecing together his theory. With a replica of the infamous 'thinking path' housed in the gallery, this exhibition allows visitors to walk in Darwin and Polly's footsteps and contemplate the evolutionary thought process.
Darwin was not the first person to consider the idea of evolution. The scientific study of nature in the 17th and 18th centuries proved to be instrumental in his own work. The exhibition includes works by Charles Lyell, one of the founders of modern geology, and the social thinker Thomas Malthus, both of whom had a huge influence. The exhibition also contains works by Darwin's own grandfather, Erasmus Darwin, a physician and polymath who proposed his own ideas a century earlier in the less obvious form of epic poetry. In a footnote in The Temple of Nature Erasmus proposed 'mankind arose from one family of monkeys on the banks of the Mediterranean…'
During his life Darwin wrote nearly 7000 letters, corresponding with people of all walks of life, from pigeon breeders and farmers, to scientific peers all over the world. The British Library's rich collection of his correspondence presents a unique insight into Darwin as a humorous, emotional and charmingly self-effacing man. Reluctant to publish his life's work due to the potential controversy, it was a letter received from Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858 detailing his own theory of natural selection that gave Darwin the incentive to publish his work. Letters between Darwin, Charles Lyell and Joseph Hooker clearly demonstrate Darwin's concerns that two decades of work would go unrecognised. Following the advice of these trusted friends Darwin held a joint presentation with Wallace at the Linnaean Society, and 'On the Origins of Species' followed just 13 months and 10 days later.
Finally, the exhibition looks at how Darwin's theories were received, the impact they have had on scientific understanding, and how they have been built upon by the work of individuals such as Crick and Watson who discovered DNA in 1953.In keeping with this theme, on the opening night of the exhibition the British Library will host one of our TalkScience series of lectures titled 'Infectious Disease: what can evolution do for us?', presented by Dr Bill Hanage from the Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College, London. Issues covered will include:
- Who will win the evolutionary arms race of humans vs pathogens?
- Is Bird Flu the next human pandemic or a flash in the pan?
- Why should we treat antibiotics as a non-renewable resource?
- Will a HIV vaccine ever become a reality?
- How can we exploit the evolutionary pressures on pathogens to improve human health?
The discussion is free and takes place on 10 December 18:00 - 20:30
To book contact the Box Office on + 44 (0)1937 546 546 | TalkScience@bl.uk
Join the discussion online at http://network.nature.com/groups/humans_vs_pathogens
For further information, images or interviews, please contact Jacob Lant at the British Library Press Office: +44 (0)20 7412 7110 or jacob.lant@bl.uk
Notes for Editors
Darwin and the Story of Evolutionis open from 10 December - 22 March in The Folio Society Gallery at the British Library. Free admission.
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world-class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes: books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages. www.bl.uk