Stop Talking about Darwin! Why science communication depends on letting go of our mascot!

 Break the Obsession: Why It's Time to Move Beyond Darwin

Why our favorite Nineteenth Century Aspie is our Achilles Heel!

   As I worked on my Master's thesis, his name kept popping up again and again. Darwin this, Darwin that! My research focused on how we discuss and apply the theory of evolution, specifically how it’s portrayed in museum exhibits. I interviewed curators at various museums and scientists at my home institution, the University of Leicester. I was compiling a literature review from two perspectives. My advisor, a renowned paleontologist and expert on pterosaurs, guided me through the process.

My undergraduate degree wasn’t in biology; I studied geology. However, I took numerous biology courses and an introductory paleontology class as part of my program.

With that background, I felt confident enough to ask a bold question: why did Darwin’s name keep coming up? And was it actually hindering our progress?

Charles Darwin (1809-1882), was an English aristocrat, amateur geologist, and writer most well known for his book On the Origin of Species, 1859, and for his much worse On the Descent of Man, 1871, now read as an example on how not to do anthropology.

 A gardener, member of the social elite, and an avid walker known for spending most of his day wandering around his property in rural Kent, he married almost as an afterthought, having a handful of children with his cousin Emma.

Did he discover evolution?

Not exactly. The idea of evolution had been discussed for centuries before him. However, he was the first to publish a widely-read book on the topic, which is almost as significant.

So, what is the problem with Darwin?

After all, he was right about a lot of things.

Except when it comes to what actually drives the creation of new species. He was quite wrong about that, but then again, so was everyone else.

But more importantly, it holds the public back from actually understanding evolution.

Competition doesn’t create species. A key aspect of the public’s understanding is simply incorrect.

Let me introduce you to someone.

This is Stephen J. Gould (1941-2002), who lived much closer to our time. Believe it or not, the study of evolution didn’t stop with Darwin! So, why is Gould important? A leading paleontologist, he and his colleague Niles Eldredge developed a crucial concept in the 1970s that remains largely unknown outside academic circles: Punctuated Equilibrium Theory.

What is this theory? (Do we need to clarify what "theory" means in science, again?) Essentially, it argues that competition doesn’t create species—it actually prevents them from emerging. When species compete, it leads to stasis, as organisms maintain a status quo. The successful ones keep others from evolving.

Speciation occurs when things go wrong, which is the basis of Punctuated Equilibrium. Organisms, like everything else, seek equilibrium. When that balance is disrupted—by events like volcanic eruptions, meteor strikes, earthquakes, or climate shifts—many species are wiped out.

After such extinction events, "radiations" occur, a term paleontologists use to describe periods of low competition, where ecological niches become available and organisms can return to equilibrium. Species arise not through fierce competition, but when opportunities open up after a major disruption.

What do we do?

We should stop putting Darwin on a pedestal and recognize that while he was important, he was just the beginning. He helped shape modern evolutionary science, but the field has continued to grow beyond him.

The same goes for Gould—evolutionary science didn’t stop with him either. There are always new discoveries and details we may not even be aware of.

As writers, curators, and educators, our job is to present accurate information, avoid pointless debates with uninformed skeptics, and keep our content up to date.

We achieve this by regularly updating our exhibits, materials, and training for presenters and docents.

Have an awesome day!