February 2009 marked Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday and heralded the 150th anniversary of the first publication of On the Origin of Species. The ideas Darwin and his contemporary Alfred Wallace brought to light have fundamentally shaped not only how we perceive the biological world, but how we observe and describe change itself.

Since the publication of On the Origin of Species, the principles of evolutionary biology have become integral to fields as diverse as medicine, agriculture, genetic engineering, and epidemiology. Outside the life sciences, evolutionary concepts have informed economics, cultural studies, urban planning, and even forms of popular culture like video game design. The very idea of evolutionary change over time has become ingrained across the public imagination.

In February 2009, the Exploratorium hosted Darwin Days, a series of presentations, debates, and discussions exploring the ways scientists continue to learn from and apply their knowledge of evolutionary biology to a broad range of pursuits.

You can purchase books and other Darwin-related items in the Exploratorium Darwin Store.

FEBRUARY 7, 2009 Cancer: Survival of the Fittest Cells A conversation with Dr. Thea Tlsty

FEBRUARY 8, 2009 Darwin Days Book Club: Darwin’s Ghost

FEBRUARY 11, 2009 Who's the Fittest? A Predator-Prey Competition With Exploratorium scientist Karen Kalumuck

FEBRUARY 11, 2009 SF Debate: The Ethics of Consumer Genotyping In collaboration with the Commonwealth Club

FEBRUARY 14, 2009 Explore Amour: Tracing the Origins of Love With Dr. Thomas Lewis

These Darwin Days events are part of a San Francisco citywide celebration of the Darwin anniversary.