First Fridays June 5, 2009

"Why Darwin Matters: Evolution, Intelligent Design, and the Battle for Science and Religion" with Dr. Michael Shermer

Evolution happened, and the theory describing it is one of the most well-founded in all of science. Then why do half of all Americans reject it? In his book Why Darwin Matters, and in this same-titled talk, historian of science and bestselling author Dr. Michael Shermer – a former evangelical Christian – examines what evolution really is, how we know it happened, and how to test it. Shermer looks at science through a brief history of the evolution-creation trials and debates from the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925 to the intelligent design controversies of the 1990s and 2000s, and demonstrates how and why creationism and intelligent design are not part of science.

About Dr. Michael Shermer

Dr. Michael Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, and Adjunct Professor of Economics at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Shermer received his B.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University, M.A. in experimental psychology from California State University, Fullerton, and his Ph.D.in the history of science from Claremont Graduate University. He has appeared on such shows as The Colbert Report, 20/20, Dateline, Charlie Rose, Larry King Live, Donahue, Oprah, Unsolved Mysteries (but, proudly, never Jerry Springer), and other shows as a skeptic of weird and extraordinary claims, as well as interviews in countless documentaries aired on PBS, A&E, Discovery, The History Channel,The Science Channel, and The Learning Channel.

Tour the Polychaetous Annelids Collection

NHM Polychaetes Curator Dr. Kirk Fitzhugh gives a tour of NHM sea worms with an emphasis on intelligent design, evolution and the nature of science.

Music

"The godfather of mash-ups" and turn table wizard Z-Trip caps off the 2009 First Fridays season.

Curated by the non-profit radio collective dublab,  The Phatal DJ and The Gaslamp Killer will also DJ in the African Mammal Hall.

Series Overview

Darwin's Origin of Species: From a Theory of Evolution to a Cultural Revolution

This year Charles Darwin turns 200 and his world-altering On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection turns 150. Often considered one of the two or three most important – and misunderstood – texts published in the sciences, The Origin of Species is also one of a handful of scientific works that has reverberated beyond science, shaking the foundations of art, literature, philosophy, religion and society. This season's First Fridays celebrate “Darwin Year” through entertaining and fascinating conversations with six of the world's foremost authors and experts on the life of Darwin, the science of evolution, and the revolutionary impact of the man and his work.