165 Years of ‘On the Origin of Species’
Charles Darwin’s seminal work on the theory of evolution remains a significant contribution to the scientific world more than a century and a half after its publication.
Published November 22, 2024
By Nick Fetty
Digital Content Manager
Many renowned science and industry leaders have been members of The New York Academy of Sciences (the Academy) throughout its 200+ year history. Arguably, among the most influential has been Charles Darwin, whose magnus opus On the Origin of Species celebrates the 165th anniversary since publication this month.
Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, England in 1809. A voracious reader with an explorer’s drive, Darwin briefly studied medicine and then theology, before charting a path that led him to become “one of the greatest British scientists who ever lived.”
On the Origin of Species
In 1831, Darwin embarked on a nearly five-year voyage around the shores of South America. The scientific observations and experiences during the voyage heavily influenced the conclusions he drew in On the Origin of Species, published November 24, 1859. During the South American expedition aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Beagle, Darwin collected plants, animals, and fossils, taking diligent field notes on many of his observations. His examination of finches on the Galápagos Islands (off the coast of Ecuador) led him to develop his ideas on evolution by natural selection.
Darwin observed that the beaks of birds that predominately subsisted on seeds were stouter than the beaks of their counterparts that mostly ate insects. He concluded that while these different birds descended from a single ancestor, their physical traits adapted to their environment as they dispersed across the various islands. In the case of the Galápagos finches, he theorized that natural selection led to 13 unique species. Darwin further tested his theory by selectively breeding pigeons, which allowed him to observe the same adaptive characteristics in an artificial setting that he observed among the finches in the natural environment.
Publication of On the Origin of Species produced international debate. It drew strong opposition from officials in the Church of England, who saw its content as blasphemous to biblical teachings, especially on creationism (even today, decades after publication, several U.S. state governments have taken action to prevent, or impede, the teaching of evolution in public schools). Despite such criticism, On the Origin of Species was largely accepted by the scientific community. So much so that it would go on to have six editions, and publication in at least 38 different languages and in Braille.
Darwin and the Academy
Darwin was named an honorary member of the Academy in 1879. During this era, honorary members were nominated by active members for their scientific contributions and achievements. Darwin’s son Sir George Howard Darwin was also elected an honorary member, two decades after his father, for his own contributions in mathematical analysis and geophysical theory.
As part of a joint celebration for the 50th anniversary of On the Origin of Species and Darwin’s 100th birthday (he passed away in 1882 at the age of 73), the Academy hosted the “Darwin Memorial Celebration” on February 12, 1909 at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Museum officials renamed Synoptic Hall to be called the Darwin Hall of Invertebrate Zoology. Today, February 12 is celebrated internationally as Darwin Day.
Academy president at the time Charles F. Cox was an avid collector of Darwiniana, including many first-editions of Darwin’s books, a collection of portraits, and several pages of handwritten leaves of The Descent of Man and The Voyage of the HMS Beagle. Just after the celebration in 1909, Cox donated five of the leaves to the Academy, including two from The Descent of Man signed by Darwin as well as several portraits.
Darwin shares a birthday with U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, and various celebrations occurred across the country to commemorate both men. Speakers at these events drew parallels between their strong character as well as qualities like “their simplicity, unconsciousness of power, abhorrence of slavery, clearness of expression, [and] singleness of purpose,” according to the journal Nature.
A Progressive Stance on Racial Issues
Darwin’s progressive stance on racial issues may be attributed to the fact that his mentor John Edmonstone, formerly an enslaved Black man from Guyana, taught Darwin taxidermy. These skills proved invaluable in his preservation of specimens throughout his career. Darwin’s admiration for his mentor Edmonstone was noted in Darwin’s autobiography: “…I used often to sit with him, for he was a very pleasant and intelligent man.”
During the Darwin Memorial Celebration, a bronze bust of Darwin sculpted by William Couper was presented to the AMNH. The bust was supported by an Academy fundraising effort that raised $1750 from 151 subscribers. AMNH gifted the bust back to the Academy in 1963. It sits on display in the Academy’s lobby and is the focus of many “Darwin and Me” selfies taken by Academy members, students, and other visitors.
A duplicate bust was created for display at Christ’s College, Cambridge (Darwin’s alma mater) in 1909. Another re-creation was developed using digital technology for the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C. as part of the Darwin bicentennial celebrations in 2009.
Also read:
- From the Annals Archive: How Darwin Upended the World
- Darwin’s Descendants: Reflecting on his Impact
Want to join the ranks of prominent scientists like Charles Darwin, Marie Maynard Daly, and Yann LeCun? Sign up today to join the Academy’s impactful network and proud tradition.
