SDNHM::DARWIN: Programs and Events

Darwin: Evolution | Revolution Lecture Series

Tree of Life: Perceptions of the History of Life Before and After Darwin
Lecture with J. David Archibald, Ph.D., Curator of Mammals, San Diego State University Vertebrate Collections
The history of life is commonly represented either as a ladder (scala naturae) or a tree. Although commonly associated with Charles Darwin, representations of the tree of life predate by many years the publication in 1859 of On the Origin of Species. Darwin used trees in his private notebooks over 20 years prior, but it was Jean-Baptiste Lamarck who first published an evolutionary tree of life in 1809. As strange as it may seem, trees of life in the 19th century did not always represent evolution. A number of these trees represented instead multiple creations. Discover the iconography of both evolutionary and creationist trees of life that almost certainly finds its roots in trees.
Tuesday, December 15; 6:30–8 PM

Montane Diversity and the Impact of Climate Change
Lecture with Craig Moritz, Ph.D., Director, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley
It is no surprise that montane species (growing or living in mountainous regions) are regarded as especially prone to extinctions due to global warming. What is perhaps less appreciated is the extent to which montane habitats harbor unique biological diversity. Learn about the evolutionary history of unique montane diversity in California and the tropical rainforests of Australia, and explore the evidence that climate change over the past century already has affected species ranges.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010; 6:30–8 PM

Note: advance registration recommended.
Member, Senior, Student, Military $10; Nonmembers $12

Books and Beetlemania: Charles Darwin
Instructors: Michael Wall, Ph.D. and Margaret Dykens
As a young man, Charles Darwin spent his formative years obsessed with beetles. This youthful obsession carried into his adult life and he avidly collected insects during his voyage on the Beagle. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum’s entomology collection and pay homage to many of the insects that influenced Darwin’s life and see a specimen collected by Darwin himself. Participants will also have the opportunity to view some of the early editions of books by Darwin, as well as related works such as Lyell’s works on geology, found in the Research Library’s Rare Book Room. Limited to 12 participants.
Tuesday, November 17; 6:30–8 PM
Member $25; Nonmember $33

Night at the Museum: Art Inspired by Darwin
Book reading and signing with Bette Blaydes Pegas with live music by The Galapagos Mountain Boys
Enjoy a night at the San Diego Natural History Museum with several artists giving a reading, nature photography slide show and music, all inspired by Charles Darwin. Listen and experience how Darwin and his scientific theories have inspired music, photography, literature, and more. Bette Blaydes Pegas will read from Chasing a Dream in the Galápagos: A Personal Evolution, including her essay on Darwin. Dr. Stephen Baird and his bandmates in The Galapagos Mountain Boys will play their tongue-in-cheek “scientific gospel” musical homages to Darwin, natural selection, evolution, and the responsibility of conservation.
Tuesday, November 17; 6:30–9 PM
Member $10; Nonmember $12

Expedition

Galápagos: An Expedition on the Wild Side

Join the Museum and Lindblad Expeditions February 12–21, 2010, for an extraordinary opportunity to explore the unspoiled natural beauty and unique wildlife that sparked Darwin’s pioneering research 150 years ago. The planned leader for this once-in-a-lifetime trip is Curator of Herpetology Bradford D. Hollingsworth.
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