Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace

About the lecture

In the first mini-lecture, Professor Adam Hart (University of Gloucestershire) begins this series of mini-lectures by first discussing the concept of evolution, and how it underpins the work in understanding biology. We consider how even the word ‘evolve’ permeates our vocabulary outside of biology and use this as a reasoning to discuss its fundamental aspects further. We begin by learning about the lives of Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, two scientists who had the great fortune of being able to devote their lives to understanding the biological world. We learn about the work they published together in their book ‘On the Origin of Species’ and begin to appreciate its enormous impact it has had on science.

About the lecturer

Adam Hart is an ecologist, conservation scientist and entomologist, and is the University’s Professor of Science Communication. As well as research and teaching, he is a regular broadcaster for BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service, presenting documentaries on topics from trophy hunting to tree diseases. He has also presented the weekly science program Science in Action for the BBC World Service. On television, Adam has co-presented several documentary series, most notably BBC4’s Planet Ant and BBC2’s Hive Alive. He has published more than 120 scientific papers and in 2023 his third popular science book, The Deadly Balance, was published in which he explores our complex relationship with predators. He is a Fellow and Trustee of the Royal Entomological Society, and in 2022 was announced as Vice President. Adam is also a Trustee of the Wild Planet Trust, a conservation charity that runs conservation programs in the UK and across the world.