Charles Darwin

2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of his ground-breaking publication of On the Origin of Species

A series of events and exhibitions are planned worldwide.

He was born on February 12th, 1809, and was voted one of the top five greatest Britons by BBC viewers in 2002. He was an extraordinary thinker whose theories on evolution and the origins of man changed the entire direction of modern thought.

But this is not another biography of the exceptional man - it is a hub to highlight some of the many events scheduled to take place in his honour.

During Darwin's journeys on the British Survey ship HMS Beagle he noticed variations in different species. This led him to the idea of natural selection.

His five year voyage between December 1831 and October 1836 took him to South America and Australasia. It was his visit to the Galapogos Islands that began to sow the seeds of his work which was to occupy him for 23 years before he was to share his knowledge with the world.

The subsequent premise of the theory is that all life, from the simplest organism to the most complex mammal is related through descent, adaptation and modification. He revealed his Theory of Evolution Through Natural Selection in 1859.

The new Darwin Centre at London's Natural History Museum will open in September 2009. Visitors and scientists will share the excitement of exploring, studying and preserving the natural world in this 8-storey, £78 million landmark building and is the most significant expansion to the Museum since it moved to South Kensington in 1881.

To mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of 'On the Origin of Species', the BBC is airing a season of landmark TV and radio programmes. Simple yet profound, Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the most influential scientific ideas ever conceived. Even today, its conclusions and implications impact religion, politics, economics and art as well as our understanding of the natural world.

In 2009 the Open University is joining the celebrations and have a wealth of information on their website.

In celebration of the bicentenary of Darwin's birth, English Heritage are creating a very special project at Down House in Kent.

The new project will open on February 13th, and visitors are likely to experience Darwin's world as never before.

This was Darwin's family home for 40 years and the very place where he wrote and published his theory of evolution that changed the face of science.

The HMS Beagle Project aims to rebuild the ship that carried Charles Darwin around the world, starting in Darwin's bicentenary year of 2009.

The new Beagle will sail the world in Darwin's wake, and hopes to inspire global audiences through unique public engagement and learning programmes, and original scientific research in evolutionary biology, biodiversity and climate change.

There are many other events planned around the world eg the USA, Canada and Australia. Further information can be obtained at Darwin Online.
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