How is this news? Charles Darwin's "tree of life", which shows how species are related through evolutionary history, is wrong and needs to be replaced, according to leading scientists.
The great naturalist first sketched how species might evolve along branches of an imaginary tree in 1837, an idea that quickly came to symbolise the theory of ( Read more... )

Interesting column by Kathryn Hughes in today's Guardian: Revisionist rants about Marie Stopes or Darwin have a poisonous tone of self-righteousness.

And I'm totally there with her about
Projecting a contemporary sensibility into the past has an honourable pedigree when it comes to raising laughs. It's what Life on Mars and Blackadder depend on. ( Read more... )

Seen on Dickon Edwards' Diary today:

'And Darwin was, after all, a detective'.

So far, in the cascade of novels involving unlikely historical/literary figures as sleuths, I don't think we've had Charlie D yet.

But why not?

Okay, I think we are talking the Nero Wolfe model of sitting in his room (except, unlike Mr W, not working his way through ( Read more... )

Feeling somewhat less blah today - the gusty blustery wind seems refreshing and bracing, at least while the sun is out.

Also revivifying: delicious tapas lunch with rahael - excellent company and conversation.

***

About 90,000 pages of manuscripts, field notes, photographs and sketches connected with Charles Darwin are being placed online, where they can ( Read more... )

Some while ago I posted about seeing a handcart for Darwin's Deli delivery service in the Marylebone area.

Today on the way to my physio appointment I saw that this had evolved into a bicycle trailer (if I hadn't been running late I'd have stopped to take a picture).

Darwin's for the Fittest Sandwiches in the West End, if not the whole of London!

* ( Read more... )

The British Library and the recording industry are arguing about proposals to extend the lifespan of copyright. I found this fairly confusing, because I don't think that I've ever encountered the notion that producing a conservation/preservation surrogate of a precious unique and physically endangered item has anything to do with copyright. (I'm ( Read more... )

Spotted in Devonshire Place on my way to the physio: handcart on pavement for 'Darwin's Deli: sandwiches delivered'. Opportunities lost there, I thought:
'Darwin's Deli for the fittest sandwiches in town'
'Darwin's Deli Lunchboxes give you a competitive edge in the struggle for survival'
'Try our Natural Selection Party Platter'.

Kathryn Hughes on holiday reading: for once, I disgree. As someone who took Simone de Beauvoir's several volumes of memoirs to the North West Frontier and Proust to Australia, I'm all for contrast.

Ian Jack mourns the death of the railway timetable.

Ursula Le Guin fangirls (but not uncritically) Margaret Drabble, who has a new book out! wheeeee!
( Read more... )