Presented by: Professor Mike Bruton
Date: Thursday, 23 October 2025
Venue: NRF-SAIAB Lecture Room
Time: 14:30 for 15:00
Zoom Registration Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/FJyjtDVeQW620lnJi57FcA
Passcode: 988455
RSVP: m.ngulube@saiab.nrf.ac.za
During the round-the-world cruise of HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin spent 19 days in the Cape of Good Hope. Although he was exhausted and homesick, he made the best use of his only landfall on the mainland of Africa. In addition to rambles on the slopes of Table Mountain and a five-day horse ride into the interior with a Khoi groom, Darwin met with three eminent scientists, Sir Thomas Maclear, the Astronomer Royal, Dr Andrew Smith, the first Curator of the South African Museum, and Sir John Herschel, the independent astronomer and natural philosopher. Darwin discussed ‘transformation’ (evolution) with Herschel but their most important discussions were on the scientific method. The advice that Herschel gave to Darwin shaped the course of the rest of his career and contributed to the development of his Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.
Mike will also share the celebrations held in Cape Town and Simon’s Town in April 2025 to commemorate Darwin’s historic visit, including the unveiling of a bronze bust of a young Darwin on Simon’s Town Jetty by the great, great grandson of Charles Darwin, the visit of the Dutch tall ship Oosterschelde, flagship of the international Darwin200 project, the Darwin Leaders’ conservation research projects, a play and an art exhibition entitled ‘Darwin. A Curious Mind’, and talks and debates on evolution. He will conclude with some lessons learned from the Darwin Project on heritage conservation.
