Darwin's Back Garden
James S. T. Costa
Translated by Li Guo
Published by China Pictorial Publishing House
After the publication of the epoch-making On the Origin of Species, Darwin's next book was a pamphlet on orchid pollination.
The book was not originally in Darwin's plan, but it was published in part because it deliberately avoided the whirlpool of public opinion caused by "On the Origin of Species". More importantly, peers' criticism of Darwin is largely based on his theory's "lack of the predictive power and ability to guide experiments that any valid theory should have," so "On the Origin of Species is nothing more than an indulgence in wild speculation." Because of this, Darwin designed very rigorous experiments in orchid research.
Orchids were the absolute darling of Europe at the time, and their exotic and complex floral structures were not only irresistible to horticulturists, but also a hot topic for the public. But for Darwin, orchids had unique scientific significance, especially their pollination process. In his book, he wrote about the morphology of orchids and cross-pollination, providing rigorous experimental data for the widespread acceptance of natural selection theory in the scientific community, and also laying the foundation for the emerging field of plant reproductive biology.
But there are also people who don't like orchids, such as artist John Ruskin. He considered orchids too "untamed", and for orchids and even Darwin's investigations, Ruskin declared that "with this obscene process and apparition, this elegant and happy flower researcher has nothing to do"
Apparently, Ruskin was opposed to modernity, and scientific research was nothing more than "misguided curiosity" to him. He is not alone, as Darwin's Back Garden says: "It is true that Darwin's discovery of evolution brought a new perspective to the natural world, and many people at the time were both excited and frightened. It may be difficult for modern readers to realize that not so long ago, very different hypotheses prevailed about nature: since Aesop, the moralization of nature has been the norm. The lives and behaviors of animals show so many metaphors, and plants exhibit similar experiences from the world of perfect design. However, even in the 19th century, the key role of insects in cross-pollination was not widely accepted, let alone the idea that flowers are sexual propaganda. ”
Darwin turned out to be right. The diversity and pollination process of orchids make themselves practical examples of natural selection-induced species evolution, illuminating many themes such as species diversity, gradual gradual change, trait loss or death, and assimilation.
Later generations spoke highly of the study, arguing that it brought "the highly controversial realms of abstract, religious, and metaphysical speculation" of natural selection to the work of toiling and soiling one's knees. Even naturalists who are skeptical or hostile to evolution by natural selection admire his actions in such research. ”
Darwin's study
Darwin's experiments with orchids were all done in his famous Don's cottage back garden, said American biology professor James M. Thompson. T. Costa's book Darwin's Back Garden places the perspective on the former home where Darwin lived for 40 years. The house's gardens and greenhouses, surrounding lawns and woodlands, and even cellars and corridors are Darwin's field observatories. He conducted a series of astonishing experiments to test his signature theory of evolution without the aid of specialized equipment. Through these experimental results, he explored the laws of nature and provided the basis for the revolutionary assertions of On the Origin of Species and other watershed writings.
This angle gets rid of the depiction of a life of ups and downs, and is less boring of theory, but presents a "darwin at home" in front of people, laying out his experiments, his relatives and friends, his "comrades-in-arms", and even his fireworks. As David M. Professor P. Barash commented: "If you think that evolution is 'just theory' and lack solid evidence in the real world – reading this book will make you aware of reality. If you never knew that Darwin had whispered with worms and his other multiple identities as a seed magician, bee assistant, and so on, read this book and enjoy the encounter. ”
Darwin was different from the scientists who buried their heads in the laboratory, his home was the laboratory, his wife and children were his assistants, and he could even pull housekeepers, governesses and distant relatives into his field research team.
After On the Origin of Species, Darwin published about ten books on topics in addition to orchids, including domestication, human evolution, climbing plants, animal behavior, carnivorous plants, flower structures, and earthworms.
These studies are all related to gardens, which gives them a rare amount of pyrotechnics. Above all, they teach people that anyone can be an experimenter like Darwin and learn how to look at the natural world more closely.
Author: Ye Kefei
Editor: Zhou Yiqian