Charles in Charge! Darwin Around the Bay Area

As I mentioned in a previous post, February 12th marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of the "Origin of Species".

All across the world, scientists are leading a month long celebration of the man and his science, widely seen as the public hero of science and science education.

San Francisco is one of the cities leading the celebration with nearly a hundred evolution specific events throughout the month. Below are a few of my naturally selected picks to celebrate Darwin. For a complete list, check here.

Darwin: the Man, his Science, and his Legacy - UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology 2/7 9:00am-4:00pm
A University of California Museum of Paleontology short course open to the public and particularly geared toward K-16 educators and anyone interested in Darwin and evolution! Call it Darwin 101 & 102.

Darwin Days Book Club: Darwin’s Ghost - Exploratorium 2/8 8:00pm
A lively exchange on this modern-day vision of Darwin’s most notable work. It's better than reading "The Origin of Species".

SF Debate: The Ethics of Personal Genetics - Exploratorium 2/11 7:00pm
An intelligent debate on the ethical questions emerging around sequencing one's personal genome and how that information may be used.

EVOLVE 2009 Kick-Off Party @ Nightlife - California Academy of Sciences 2/12 6:00pm
Explore the Academy's Islands of Evolution exhibit while sipping cocktails and grooving to the beat of an Om Records DJ. Even Charles could appreciate a nice cocktail and some good beats.

Explore Amour: Tracing the Origins of Love - Exploratorium 2/14 2:00pm
Discover the science behind sweet nothings with Dr. Thomas Lewis as he offers a Darwinian twist on modern romance. In a Q&A following his presentation, Dr. Lewis will respond to your passionate questions on love.

Bad Science Film Festival - San Francisco Public Library 2/21 1:00pm
Come to the San Francisco Public Library for an afternoon of movies featuring wacky and weird scientific inaccuracies. Somehow Keanu Reeves avoided this festival.

Porchlight: Evolve - Verdi Club 2/23 8:00pm
Join writer-sketch comedian Beth Lisick and writer-editor Arline Klatte as they begin their 7th year for a special evening with stories centered around evolution.

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