Irina T. 10/17/21 Irina T. 10/17/21

Darwin's Barnacles | Science History Institute

“We expect eurekas, sudden flashes of insight. We want drama. What Darwin did, hunched over those smelly barnacles, seems like the opposite of creativity—petty drudge work. But that patient, yearslong labor was actually critical.”

Irina T. 6/20/21 Irina T. 6/20/21

Darwin’s Children Drew All Over the On The Origin of Species Manuscript | The Appendix

’It’s all a great reminder that even legendary scientists had family lives, and that when we think about history, it’s important to remember that famous figures weren’t working in isolation. They were surrounded by far less famous friends, family members, acquaintances, and enemies. And sometimes, when we get lucky, we see some of their artifacts from the past too.‘’

Irina T. 2/23/21 Irina T. 2/23/21

Charles Darwin’s Descent of Man, 150 Years Later | JSTOR Daily

“My conviction of the power of sexual selection remains unshaken; but it is probable, or almost certain, that several of my conclusions will hereafter be found erroneous; this can hardly fail to be the case in the first treatment of a subject. When naturalists have become familiar with the idea of sexual selection, it will, as I believe, be much more largely accepted; and it has already been fully and favourably received by several capable judges.”

Irina T. 1/27/21 Irina T. 1/27/21

New Light Shed on Charles Darwin's 'Abominable Mystery' | BBC

“Darwin coined the phrase, abominable mystery, in 1879. In a letter to his closest friend, botanist and explorer Dr Joseph Hooker, he wrote: "The rapid development as far as we can judge of all the higher plants within recent geological times is an abominable mystery."