PULLMAN – As part of worldwide observances of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, scientists at WSU are sponsoring a series of events called Darwin Week Feb. 17-20. All events in Darwin Week are free and open to the public.Darwin, who studied both living animals and the fossil record of past life, established the modern theory of evolution via natural selection when he published his book, “The Origin of Species.” Darwin’s theory is accepted by scientists because it explains so much about the living world, but it has been the focus of cultural concern in the United States from Darwin’s time to today.
To coincide with Darwin’s birthday the WSU libraries will serve birthday cake on Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m. at Owen Science & Engineering Library and at noon at Brain Education Library and Holland and Terrell Libraries.
On Tuesday, Feb 17 a discussion entitled, “Evolution, science and society” about misunderstandings and misperceptions about the science of evolution will be addressed in short lectures by two WSU scientists: “What Evolution Isn’t” by Mike Webster, School of Biological Sciences, and “10 Ways That Evolution Impacts Your Everyday Life” by Dan Rodgers, Department of Animal Sciences.
The discussion will take place at 7 p.m. in CUE 203.
On Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. there will be a talk by Pulitzer Prize winning author Edward Humes in the Compton Union Building (CUB), Room 220.
Humes, author of “Monkey Girl: Evolution, Education, Religion, and the Battle for America’s Soul,” will address why millions of Americans object to evolutionary theory, and how courtroom battles about the teaching of modern biology in the public schools expose our cultural conflicts around Darwin’s insights.
Thursday and Friday will include 7 p.m. showings of Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial and One Million Years B.C. in CUE 203.
For more information, visit http://ipem.anth.wsu.edu/darwinweek/.
