Darwin celebrated at UCT

UCT hosted a day of lectures on Charles Darwin as part of the Darwin200 bicentenary celebrations on 12 February.

Titled Charles Darwin: Fact & Fiction, Realities & Myths, the day was opened by Professor Wilmot James, who welcomed the packed audience and co-chaired the event with Professor Raj Ramesar, head of UCT's Division of Human Genetics.

"It's not all boring, you'll be surprised to hear," quipped Dr Mario di Gregorio of the University of L'Aquila in Italy, who spoke on his research on the notes Darwin wrote in the margins in the books he read.

"Darwin was both everything and nothing," said Di Gregorio. "He was a true amateur in the best sense of the word."

The day included lectures by Emeritus Professor Brian Warner of UCT's Department of Astronomy, and Professor Peter Bowler of Queen's University of Belfast in Northern Ireland.

Taking note: Dr Mario di Gregorio of the University of L'Aquila in Italy lectured in the Darwin200 lecture series at UCT.