Public "Darwin Day" Talks, Today and Tomorrow

robindch

Wednesday: Tomorrow marks the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin. The ISS celebrates the occasion on the eve of the anniversary with a presentation by Professor Tom Hayden, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin. The title of professor Hayden's lecture is "Charles Darwin and the Origin of Humans"

The presentation will review the early life of Charles Darwin and the circumstances that brought him to his theory of evolution by natural selection. His views on the origin of humans will be considered particularly in the light of the evidence available to him. Finally the rapid accumulation of palaeontological and genetic evidence since Darwin's death and how it has shaped our current ideas on the origin and affinities of humans will be outlined.

The lecture will take place at 8.00pm on Wednesday February 11th in the Gandon North Suite, Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2

==============
Thursday: Darwin Day Lecture, Darwin, genetics, and the nature of humankind

Professor David McConnell

Davis Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College, Thursday 12th February 2009, 7.30 pm

Open to the public. Admission free

.

Dades

Cheers Robin.

Much as I'd like to get out and about for one of these, my recent 'lifestyle change' restricts me to contently watching the BBC Darwin stuff on my digibox.

Overblood

What "lifestyle change"? Have you converted!?

bnt

One at UCD, 6PM Thursday: Darwin and the Origin of Humans. Scheduled for Science Hub, Theatre A, but watch out for last-minute venue changes - very common at UCD, I've discovered.

Dades

Overblood wrote: »

What "lifestyle change"? Have you converted!?

Nope.
I fulfilled my purpose in life, Darwin style.

kiffer

Dades wrote: »

Nope.
I fulfilled my purpose in life, Darwin style.

Congratulations!

Húrin

because of all the crap ads on RTE, Dades "naturally selected" BBC.

*picks up coat*

Myksyk

I hear over a hundred people attended the ISS talk. Ironically, the adjoining suite was occupied by a Catholic Society hosting a talk on Pope Benedict or something.

sink

Myksyk wrote: »

Ironically, the adjoining suite was occupied by a Catholic Society hosting a talk on Pope Benedict or something.

Only if you presume that the Catholic Church does not endorse evolution, which is a false presumption.

robindch

Myksyk wrote: »

Ironically, the adjoining suite was occupied by a Catholic Society hosting a talk on Pope Benedict or something.

Yep, it was something organized by the "Irish Catholic" and I got doorstepped on the way into the hotel by a pleasant young chap in an anorak and beanie who explained at some length that the EU should be based upon the ten commandments and that Jesus was alive, rather than stone dead, as I had suggested. Felt like I was in some weird religious Parrot sketch.

That aside, Tom Hayden gave an absolutely first-class, and very funny, talk. Kudos to all for organizing it.

He's presenting the talk again in UCD at six this evening:

http://www.ucd.ie/news/2009/02FEB09/090209_event_darwin.html

I strongly recommend anybody with any interest in either Darwin, biology or the origins of humanity to drop in.

bnt

In case anyone wants to find the Science Hub at UCD tonight, it's the square building in the middle of this map. If you scroll a little way to the east (right) you'll see the N11 entrance, the car park you should use, and the footpath from there. The main entrance to Theatre A is on the top floor of the Science Hub.

PS: it's all-too-common at UCD for event venues to be moved at the last minute because of clashes with lectures, so don't be alarmed if you see no-one there when you arrive. Have a look in adjacent theatres such as B, or look for signs with information. They moved a talk by a Nobel Laureate on Tuesday.

Dave!

Think I may go to this one actually since it so happens I'll be in UCD til 6 today anyway!

AtomicHorror

robindch wrote: »

Yep, it was something organized by the "Irish Catholic" and I got doorstepped on the way into the hotel by a pleasant young chap in an anorak and beanie who explained at some length that the EU should be based upon the ten commandments and that Jesus was alive, rather than stone dead, as I had suggested. Felt like I was in some weird religious Parrot sketch.

He is an ex-messiah?

ChocolateSauce

robindch wrote: »

Wednesday: Tomorrow marks the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin. The ISS celebrates the occasion on the eve of the anniversary with a presentation by Professor Tom Hayden, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin. The title of professor Hayden's lecture is "Charles Darwin and the Origin of Humans"

The presentation will review the early life of Charles Darwin and the circumstances that brought him to his theory of evolution by natural selection. His views on the origin of humans will be considered particularly in the light of the evidence available to him. Finally the rapid accumulation of palaeontological and genetic evidence since Darwin's death and how it has shaped our current ideas on the origin and affinities of humans will be outlined.

The lecture will take place at 8.00pm on Wednesday February 11th in the Gandon North Suite, Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2

==============
Thursday: Darwin Day Lecture, Darwin, genetics, and the nature of humankind

Professor David McConnell

Davis Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College, Thursday 12th February 2009, 7.30 pm

Open to the public. Admission free

.

Oh, Tom Hayden! I love him (though many first years disagree...his trout assignment is infamous), he single handedly rescued me from failing a first year biology module when I had 12 exams in one fell swoop. Anyway, he appears to be repeating his ISS lecture on us here in UCD today at 6. I'll be attending that one.

kiffer

AtomicHorror wrote: »

He is an ex-messiah?

Well, he's... he's, ah... probably pining for the fjords desert.

ChocolateSauce

I caught the UCD lecture, it was both informative and highly entertaining. I'm glad I made it. And Robin, he spoke bemusedly of the ISS, saying he'd deleted two emails without responding before getting one which mused he'd probably deleted them. Any truth to that one?