Commemoration of Charles Darwin

Commemoration of Charles Darwin began with geographical features named after him while he was still on the Beagle survey voyage. After his return, many species he collected were named in his honor, and his fame continued to grow. Today, many places, animals, and institutions carry his name.

Interest in Darwin’s work has inspired many books and studies, often called the Darwin Industry. His life has also been portrayed in films, television, and biographies. Every year, people celebrate Darwin Day to honor his contributions to science.

In 2009, the world marked two important milestones: the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. These events led to many celebrations and activities around the globe, showing how much people value his ideas and discoveries.

Geographical features

During Charles Darwin's time, many places were named after him. For example, a body of water near the Beagle Channel was called Darwin Sound because Darwin and a few others helped save the ship's crew from danger. A mountain in the Andes was also named Mount Darwin to celebrate his 25th birthday. Later, another Darwin Sound was named in Canada, and a harbor in Australia was called Port Darwin. Over time, a town there became the city of Darwin, now the capital of Australia's Northern Territory.

Scientific names

More than 300 species, nine genera, and some higher groups have been named after Charles Darwin. For example, Darwin's rhea is a bird species he found in Patagonia, and Darwin's frog was discovered in Chile. In 2009, scientists named a fossil primate Darwinius to honor Darwin’s 200th birthday.

Genera named after Darwin include Darwinilus, a type of beetle, and Darwinopterus, a long-tailed flying reptile from China. Over 300 species carry names like darwinii or darwini. These include Rhinoderma darwinii, a frog Darwin found during his travels, and Caerostris darwini, a large spider from Madagascar.

Institutions

Darwin's legacy is celebrated through many institutions and events around the world. In Australia, you can find Charles Darwin University and Charles Darwin National Park. In the United Kingdom, Darwin College, Cambridge was named to honor the Darwin family. The Linnean Society of London awards the Darwin-Wallace Medal to recognize important contributions to the study of evolution.

The Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galápagos Islands works on research and conservation. In 2009, many places celebrated the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of his famous book, On the Origin of Species. Events included exhibitions, festivals, and special coins and stamps, showing how much people admire Darwin's work.

Media

Many books have been written about Charles Darwin, including a fictionalized biography called The Origin by Irving Stone. Darwin's ideas also inspired songs on The Low Anthem's 2008 album Oh My God, Charlie Darwin, and he was portrayed by Chris Larkin in a PBS documentary called Evolution.

In movies and TV, Darwin appeared in the 2009 film Creation and the 2012 film The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, based on a 2004 novel. A television series called Beagle: In Darwin's wake in 2009 and 2010 followed the same path as Darwin's voyage on the HMS Beagle between 1831 and 1836.

Online

Charles Darwin appears as a main character in the animated web series Super Science Friends. He also features in a musical confrontation with the cartoon character Ash Ketchum in the internet series Epic Rap Battles of History.