August 2012 – The Friends of Charles Darwin

Sexton bugs and rock 'n' roll

In which I spot an insect on the head of another insect.

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Book review: ‘Fighting for Birds: 25 Years in Nature Conservation’ by Mark Avery

An experienced pragmatist describes the minefield that is nature conservation.

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Curious and Curiosity

Wishing the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity Rover) good luck on its frankly bonkers descent to the the surface of Mars.

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The secret creationist diary of Richard Carter (not yet FCD), age 6

I have just been going through some of my (very) old school exercise books, recently retrieved from my Dad's loft. Back in 1971–02, young British children were routinely indoctrinated in creationist nonsense in state schools.

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The Darwin bicentennial oak, 10 years on
Ten years ago today, I planted the Darwin Bicentennial Oak in my garden.
Hello, Azerbaijan!
I am delighted to announce that the Friends of Charles Darwin have their first member from Azerbaijan.
A cat among the pigeons
Could Charles Darwin really have been a moggy murderer?
Maureen Brian, FCD (12 June 1942 – 31 July 2018)
I was sad to learn via Facebook that Maureen Brian died earlier today.
The problem writing a book about Charles Darwin
…there are so damn many of the things already, how do you make your book different?

03-Dec-1831: Darwin’s first night aboard HMS Beagle
Darwin records his experimentations with a hammock.
29-Jan-1839: Charles Darwin marries Emma Wedgwood
On 29th January 1839, after a short courtship and engagement, Charles Darwin married his cousin Emma Wedgwood at St Peter's Church, Maer, Staffordshire.
14-May-1856: Darwin starts writing his ‘big species book’
On 14 May 1856, Charles Darwin recorded in his journal that, on the advice of his friend Charles Lyell, after almost 20 years exploring the subject, he had finally begun writing a ‘sketch’ of his ideas on species.
If humans evolved from monkeys, how come there are still monkeys?
This is a question frequently posed by creationists—and quite often by perfectly rational people…
13-Jan-1833: The day HMS Beagle nearly sank
Charles Darwin’s closest brush with death during the Beagle voyage came on Sunday 13th January 1833, near that most infamous of nautical perils, Cape Horn.