Michigan State University, a leading center of evolutionary
thought and research, celebrated the birth of Charles Darwin and the
publication of his seminal "On the Origin of Species" in 2009, as it advances his
work in living and virtual worlds.
The 19th-century English naturalist, whose research on evolution turned the world upside down, was born Feb. 12, 1809 and published his work for the first time laying out the case for natural selection as the mechanism for evolution 50 years later. Thus MSU this year joins the world in observing the bicentennial of Darwin’s birth and the sesquicentennial of his famous work.
While honoring Darwin is important, what’s more important is sharing the wonders of science with those who may not necessarily be familiar with them, said Danita Brandt, an MSU associate professor of geological sciences and one of the driving forces behind the campus’s ongoing celebration.
“It’s more than Darwin. It’s science literacy,” she said. “So many people think ‘oh, I don’t know anything about science.’ But we’re surrounded by it. We can’t get through our day without science.
“Many of Darwin’s ideas have been used in other areas such as the social sciences,” Brandt said. “His work has obviously affected people’s religious lives. He is often viewed as a threat. We want to help correct those misconceptions, the misuse of his ideas.”
The effects of evolution – even the ongoing process -- are researched by scores of Michigan State scientists. Their work spans the breadth of life, and beyond: tens of thousands of generations of single-celled organisms studied by evolutionary biologist Richard Lenski and colleagues; uniquely adapted spotted hyenas observed in their African habitat by naturalist Kay Holekamp’s laboratory; even digital organisms created in the DevoLab by computer engineer Charles Ofria and others.
More than a source of philosophical debate, an understanding
of natural selection is key to many of the scientific advances made at MSU and
elsewhere as we work to understand life and our place in the world. From
discovery of hitherto unknown species to understanding the mutation of harmful
viruses, the work that Charles Darwin started continues to unfold – and evolve –
at Michigan State University.
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