Darwin talked about his “theory” but he should have said “theories”, because there were a number. The first is evolution, the least controversial of his theories and he wasn’t the first to think about it.

The second is the theory of common descent through modification, meaning that all species descend from common ancestors with other species. It explains many things but it’s controversial. For instance, if you want to know why ravens and crows are similar, you know that they come from a common ancestor. If you apply this concept to humans, you may say “humans are related in some respects to other animals, and we’re related to apes”. So humans and apes have a common ancestor. (It is wrong to say that humans descended from apes or monkeys, but rather that humans, apes and monkeys share a common ancestor.)

The third theory is that of gradualism: change in nature happens gradually, nothing by jumps. Forms change slowly – and this is Darwin’s real contribution, this is natural selection, the struggle for existence.

February

Dr Mario Di Gregorio - Professor of the History of Science, University of L'Aquila, Italy: Charles Darwin - Between Science and Philosophy (Tuesday, February 15)

March

Vice-Chancellor's Open Lecture: Dr Francis S Collins, ‘Genomics and global health in 2011’ and Sir Mark Walport, ‘From Genes to Health’(Thursday, March 03)

May

Vanessa Lynch (DNA database) and Poonitha Naidoo (Medical Rights Advocacy Network, MERAN): Society and the Law: Ethical Challenges of using a Forensic DNA Database (Wednesday, May 11)

September

Dr John Anderson (Thursday, September 8)

November

Dr Wilmot James (Thursday, November 10) - The history of the Grape tells the story of human migration

December

Alan Morris (Thursday, December 7)

South Africa is a great place for modern science projects. Here is why: great scientists like Carolus Linneaus, John Herschel and Charles Darwin had an early interest in our richly endowed natural heritage, establishing a tradition of high science before many others.

Accidents of geography have our interior lie at an above average sea level elevation leading down to thin coastal plains bordered by narrow continental shelves in most places. South Africa is surrounded by two of the earth’s greatest oceans that stroke the sub-tropical high pressure belt that determines our meteorology. University scholars have studied our heritage and developed a global reputation in oceanography, marine geology, meteorology, weather system specialisms and occupy today a very important place in knowledge about climate change.

Cape Town newspaper, Die Burger, has reviewed Nature's Gifts by Wilmot James.  Download the PDF version here.

The Salzburg Global Seminar invites you to an evening with Wilmot James, Member of the South Africa Parliament, Federal Chairperson for the opposition Democratic Alliance & Shadow Minister of Basic Education and celebrate the release of his new book:

Nature’s Gifts
Why we are the way we are

November 11, 2010
1730 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 250
Washington, DC 20006
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

book signing, drinks, and hors d'oeuvres

RSVP to Adam Beeson at (202) 637-7683 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Space is limited - RSVP by October 27

An example of genetic disease is the condition porphyria variegate, found in some South Africans, which geneticists tracked back to the arrival of a Hollander, Gerrit Jansz, and his wife Ariaantje in 1688. They had many children and passed on the gene (responsible for porphyria). It gives a blistering skin rash in the sun, which isn’t a problem if you stay in the shade.

But it became a problem in the early 20th Century when people (with this gene) being given barbiturate anaesthetics were dying abruptly because of their incapacity to metabolise that drug. In a sense here is a genetic disease that, once identified, could be treated provided the person stayed out of the sun and didn’t take barbiturate anaesthetics. But that doesn’t mean it’s cured, because the person’s still carrying the spelling mistake in that gene.

But we do treat and cure many people with genetic diseases.