Darwin 200 Project
A Dutch ship, the Oosterschelde, a sailing ship designed like those that existed 200 years ago, has just set sail from England (on August 15th, 2023, from Plymouth). It celebrates the journey which a famous botanist and scientist made 200 years ago; Charles Darwin who was the author of a book called “The Origin of Species”. The publication of this book in 1859 changed the way we think about the evolution of all creatures and living life on our planet, Earth.
The ‘DARWIN200’ project centres on a voyage which will take place over the next 2 years around the globle. It will re-tracing Charles Darwin’s famous journey on HMS Beagle. Not only can the young people on the ship benefit from this fantastic voyage but, we can also benefit as there’s an opportunity to follow the journey and engage with the projects they undertake. This will help us better appreciate nature and conservation efforts as well as solve real conservation problems through the project’s ‘Interactive Citizen Science Research Projects’ beamed Live from the ship. There is also a virtual classroom
You can find out more by going to this web site: https://darwin200.com You can also see more on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darwin2002021/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darwin200_
Who was Charles Darwin?:
Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) transformed the way we understand the natural world with ideas that, in his day, were nothing short of revolutionary. He and his fellow pioneers in the field of biology gave us insight into the fantastic diversity of life on Earth and its origins, including our own as a species. Darwin was fascinated by the natural world from a young age. Growing up he was an avid reader of nature books and devoted his spare time to exploring the fields and woodlands around his home, collecting plants and insects. In 1825 Darwin enrolled in medical school at the University of Edinburgh, where he witnessed surgery on a child.
The voyage of HMS Beagle
At the age of 22, in 1831, Darwin accepted an offer to embark on a five-year voyage aboard HMS Beagle. The journey would change both his life and the trajectory of scientific thinking. Darwin explored remote regions and marveled at a world so different from the one he knew. He encountered birds with bright blue feet, sharks with T-shaped heads and giant tortoises. On his travels Darwin collected plants, animals and fossils, and took copious field notes. These collections and records provided the evidence he needed to develop his remarkable theory. After returning to England, he spent many years comparing and analysing specimens before finally declaring that evolution occurs by a process of “natural selection“.
Campaign for a Better Environment 