Darwin's Backyard: How Small Experiments Led To A Big Theory
by James T. Costa /
2017 / English / EPUB
28.7 MB Download
Darwin’s Backyard
Darwin’s Backyard goes beyond the portrait of
Charles Darwin as a brilliant thinker to concentrate on him as a
nimble experimenter delving into some of evolution’s great
mysteries.
goes beyond the portrait of
Charles Darwin as a brilliant thinker to concentrate on him as a
nimble experimenter delving into some of evolution’s great
mysteries.
James T. Costa takes readers on a journey from Darwin’s childhood
through his voyage on the HMS
James T. Costa takes readers on a journey from Darwin’s childhood
through his voyage on the HMSBeagle
Beagle where his ideas on
evolution began. We then follow Darwin to Down House, his
bustling home of forty years, where he kept porcupine quills at
his desk to dissect barnacles, maintained a flock of sixteen
pigeon breeds in the dovecote, and cultivated climbing plants in
the study, and to Bournemouth, where on one memorable family
vacation he fed carnivorous plants in the soup dishes.
where his ideas on
evolution began. We then follow Darwin to Down House, his
bustling home of forty years, where he kept porcupine quills at
his desk to dissect barnacles, maintained a flock of sixteen
pigeon breeds in the dovecote, and cultivated climbing plants in
the study, and to Bournemouth, where on one memorable family
vacation he fed carnivorous plants in the soup dishes.
Using his garden and greenhouse, the surrounding meadows and
woodlands, and even taking over the cellar, study, and hallways
of his home-turned-field-station, Darwin tested ideas of his
landmark theory of evolution with an astonishing array of
hands-on experiments that could be done on the fly, without
specialized equipment.
Using his garden and greenhouse, the surrounding meadows and
woodlands, and even taking over the cellar, study, and hallways
of his home-turned-field-station, Darwin tested ideas of his
landmark theory of evolution with an astonishing array of
hands-on experiments that could be done on the fly, without
specialized equipment.
He engaged naturalists, friends, neighbors, family servants, and
even his children, nieces, nephews, and cousins as assistants in
these experiments, which involved everything from chasing bees
and tempting fish to eat seeds to serenading earthworms. From the
experiments’ results, he plumbed the laws of nature and evidence
for the revolutionary arguments of
He engaged naturalists, friends, neighbors, family servants, and
even his children, nieces, nephews, and cousins as assistants in
these experiments, which involved everything from chasing bees
and tempting fish to eat seeds to serenading earthworms. From the
experiments’ results, he plumbed the laws of nature and evidence
for the revolutionary arguments ofOn the Origin of
Species
On the Origin of
Species and his other watershed works.
and his other watershed works.
Beyond Darwin at work, we accompany him against the backdrop of
his enduring marriage, chronic illness, grief at the loss of
three children, and joy in scientific revelation. This unique
glimpse of Darwin’s life introduces us to an enthusiastic
correspondent, crowd-sourcer, family man, and, most of all, an
incorrigible observer and experimenter.
Beyond Darwin at work, we accompany him against the backdrop of
his enduring marriage, chronic illness, grief at the loss of
three children, and joy in scientific revelation. This unique
glimpse of Darwin’s life introduces us to an enthusiastic
correspondent, crowd-sourcer, family man, and, most of all, an
incorrigible observer and experimenter.
Includes directions for eighteen hands-on experiments, for home,
school, yard, or garden.
Includes directions for eighteen hands-on experiments, for home,
school, yard, or garden.60 line drawings
60 line drawings
