The Origin of Species

By now you must have figured out that I listen to a lot of podcasts.
One of the more recent ones I’ve been listening to was Dr.Kiki’s science hour. In this episode she was talking to Dr. Karen James about a science collaboration effort. The project was to build a replica of the Beagle (the ship with which Darwin set out to discover the Origin of species) and then retrace his steps while doing modern science.
According to Dr. James the project is still in its infancy. They still need most of the basic funding to start building the actual ship.  So far they’ve had a successful trip with a similar vessel of the coast of south America. They brought biologists and took samples of the seawater and the creatures they encountered. In much the same way that the intended trip with the beagle will be. They even had a teleconference with an American astronaut, getting local children to ask questions.

Hearing about all the things that Darwin saw and discovered during his travels with the HMS Beagle got me really interested in learning the actual story.
Armed with iBooks on my iPhone I found “the Origin of the Species” as a free download, being part of Project Gutenberg.
Reading on the iPhone is hardly ideal, but I had loads of commuting time, so I figured I might as well spend it wisely.
In landscape mode the book is 2701 pages long. That is quite a task to get through.
It took me about two weeks reading an hour or so each day.

Having read it, I can certainly see why the book was considered controversial in its day. Here is a man who through logic and explanation turns the very basis of existence on its head. He does refer to it as a not finished thesis. Most of his argumentation lacks concrete evidence and had he submitted it today it would have been met with profound scrutiny.
He always refers to other studies though, forcing the reader to take an active stand and read them before dismissing his claims as invalid. He is very aware of the fact, that his ideas are out there and not the norm. But he always remains almost innocent, forcing you to see things from his perspective, without pulling it over your head.
Much like J.R.R Tolkien he has a very descriptive speaking language. It is certainly scientific but it never feels dull or heavy to the ear. He always gives reasoning for eluding on certain subjects and elaboration on others, so you are never in any doubt of what his intentions are.

I can highly recommend (if you have the time) to read this book. We’ve all (with the exclusion of highly religious groups - and why would they read this?) been introduced to this theory in some parts of our educational system. We hear it explained in common words “every living being on this earth is a descendant of some earlier form, leaving the conclusion that we could all be descendant from one common ancestor”.
Getting the full explanation and therefore understanding the reasoning behind the theory, has in my case certainly broadened my perception.

It was quite a daunting task to undertake, being the first purely scientific book I’ve read for recreational purposes. But it has made me want to do this more often.

If you have any ideas on books I should read, feel free to leave a comment below.


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