Marine iguanas, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
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Celebrating Charles Darwin - Darwin's blueprint
Today, we celebrate Darwin Day—a shout-out to Charles Darwin and his game-changing ideas about life on Earth. As an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, his theory of natural selection revolutionized our understanding of species, evolution, and our role in the natural world. His work, 'On the Origin of Species,' published in 1859, laid the foundation for modern evolutionary biology. This day marks the birthday of Darwin and honors his genius while promoting curiosity, science, and critical thinking.
Speaking of cool science, marine iguanas, found only on the Galápagos Islands, serve as an example of Darwin's evolutionary principles. These reptiles, seen in today's image, are the only lizards in the world that forage in the sea, diving to graze on algae growing on submerged rocks. They've developed in remarkable ways, acquiring flattened tails for swimming and salt glands that allow them to expel seawater by sneezing. During his visit to the islands in 1835, Darwin noted their appearance as being like 'imps of darkness' but also recognized how perfectly they were adapted to their harsh environment.