By Sumayya
A new University of Calgary display is giving a special look into the lives of two of the most famous scientists in history.
All Netted Together: Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace and the Social Life of a Theory studies these men and their big effect on evolution, biology, and human nature.
The show is open at the University of Calgary’s Nickle Galleries until December 12. “This is a world-class history of science collection that contains copies of the most important books that started evolutionary biology,“ Rare Books and Special Collections Librarian Annie Murray stated. “There are about 120 books and some of these pieces are very rare.”
Darwin’s famous ideas about evolution are some of the most powerful in the entire history of science.
Wallace is less famous, but he reached many of the same conclusions as Darwin in the 1800s, deciding that evolution happens because of natural selection.
Both men agreed — on their own — that evolution happens when a shared ancestor slowly changes to adapt to its surroundings.
“These were world-changing ideas about how nature works and how the planet works, and they had a massive effect on society,” Murray told CTV News. “So it is a show about ideas, books, and people.”
The collection was gathered over a time frame of almost twenty years by Dennis Hall, who lives in Calgary.
He went to sales events all around the world and looked for private collections and copies to bring the pieces together, which are now worth nearly $4 million as a whole group.
One University of Calgary Biological Sciences Professor compared the opening of the display to Christmas Day.
“These are the books that changed the world,” Dr. Jeremy Fox stated. “This is where we first began to understand that we are a part of this much bigger story.”
Fox explains that many of the items on display helped create modern biology and genetics.
In fact — he is such a massive fan of Darwin that he gives a presentation every year to celebrate the scientist’s birthday.
This presentation will happen next year on the school campus during the second week of February.
“And I am urging all students to go see this (display),” he stated. “This collection is just as good as anything at Cambridge University or anywhere else in the world. And it is right here in Calgary.”
All Netted Together: Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace and the Social Life of a Theory is completely free to enter, and guided walks are being offered to visitors.
