Salem State To Host Virtual Darwin Festival For 2021

SALEM, MA — The evolution of skin color and the mating habits of cannibalistic spiders are two of the topics up for discussion at Salem State's 42nd annual Charles Darwin birthday celebration.

This year's event will be held virtually from Feb. 8 through Feb. 12 due to the coronavirus health crisis.

"Due to the pandemic this year's festival is entirely virtual, allowing us to welcome speakers and audiences from across the country," said festical coordinator Ryan Fisher, a professor of biology at Salem State. "In true Darwin spirit, the festival is adapting and evolving to meet the time. We are excited for the possibilities."

The festival is open to the public and draws interest from scientists and non-scientists alike.

Free webinars will be held daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. with each including a question-and-answer session. Links to the webinars can be found here.

Along with skin color and spiders, topics include the biology of cities, the biochemical signatures of disease, the origins of wound repair, the diversity and adaptation of coral reefs, the impact of human behavior on evolution and more.

The event was a way to celebrate the impact of Darwin's work while "providing students with an opportunity to connect humanity and culture with scientific research."

Topics and speaker bios can be found here.