Celebrate Darwin's Birthday

This year marks both the bicentenary of Charles Darwin's birth (on 12 February 1809) and the 150th anniversary of his most significant publication, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (on 24 November 1859). That's the book that introduced the theory that species evolve over the course of generations through a process of natural selection - putting a weed up the arse of Christian literalists to this day. Here's how you can get in on the evolutionary action!

Dining with Darwin: Evolution and Extinction, Adaptation and Climate Change
A joint initiative by the Australian Museum and the Botanic Gardens Trust, this is a night where science, debate and food come together to honour the living legacy of Charles Darwin. Providing the conversation will be some of Australia's leading scientists and social commentators including Clive Hamilton, who will speak on the social aspects of climate change; Professor Hugh Possingham from the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, who will provide insights on conservation biology; Dr Mike Raupach, the co-chair of Global Carbon Project, talking about the global carbon cycle; and Australian Museum Eureka Prize winner Nicole Kuepper, who has plans to provide clean, green power to the third world. Compered by Jennifer Byrne, the night will also include a three-course dinner.

The Pavilion, 1 Art Gallery Rd, The Domain on Wed 11 Feb 2009, 6.30pm.

Macleay Museum

In recognition of the importance of Charles Darwin's work, the Macleay Museum will hosts three exhibitions, each exploring and offering commentary on the English naturalist's groundbreaking ideas. In Futurescape, six intrepid student artists from Enmore TAFE had to create models and drawings of a future world where the world's climate has radically changed and humans have had to evolve in order to survive. WS Macleay and the Natural History Circlewill look at the natural history opus of William Sharp Macleay, which was read by London's young, radical naturalists in the 1820s, among them the promising scholar Charles Darwin. Accidental Encounters traces the stories and lives of some of the scientists and adventurers who explored Australia between 1846 and 1850. As part of this exhibition, they will be displaying a female flea, collected by naturalist William Sharp Macleay in 1838. Due to its fragility, the flea - one of the showpieces of the significant Macleay Museum Collection - will only be on display for a limited time with its original label, until 1 March.

All exhibitions are at Macleay Museum, University of Sydney, from 12 Feb.

Is Darwinism past its sell-by date? Philosopher Michael Ruse at Sydney Ideas

Wighing in on the hotly contested creationism vs evolutionary biology debate, outspoken Darwin expert and philosopher of science Professor Michael Ruse will take a reflective and critical view on Darwin's seminal work will ask whether or not Darwinism is relevant today.

On Tue 17 Feb 2009 at Seymour Theatre Centre at 6.30pm.

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