Happy Darwin Day!

On February 12, 1809, Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England. Fifty years later, he published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, a book that was met with immediate popularity and controversy for its well-supported assertion that humans are apes who share a common ancestor with other living things. Despite the controversy, rigorous scientific inquiry supported and refined Darwin's work, and even many theologians accepted the idea as a fact that would be compatible with the idea of a Universe created by God.

148 years later, Ken Ham opened a Creation Museum with a scale model of Noah's Ark carrying a Triceratops to safety, as well as other exhibits informing children that the Earth was created pretty much as-is about 6,000 years ago.

For that reason*, groups around the world are celebrating Darwin's 200th birthday today, using the occasion to toast the man whose brilliant ideas have taught us so much about ourselves and the world we live in. Natural selection is now a cornerstone of biology, helping to explain how bacteria propagate and become resistant to antibiotics, how species evolve over time, and even how we can improve computational techniques.

Bostonians who want to join the celebration have a lot of options, thanks to our preponderance of brainy kids who like to party. Tonight, the Harvard Humanists are handing out free drinks and cake while jamming to local science geek rock bands Robot Goes Here and Frequency. There will also be readings, lectures, and other events all weekend long.

For events in other areas, check out DarwinDay.org. If you don't feel like going out but still want to celebrate, just bake your own themed cake and turn on some appropriate tunes. (Here are some playlists to get you started!)

*Note that free cake may also play a part in the desire to celebrate Darwin Day.

Post contributed by Rebecca Watson of Skepchick.org.