Darwin Day
Charles Darwin, author of On the Origin of species
Today is Darwin Day – commemorating the birth of Charles Darwin on 12th February, 1809, and is intended to give an opportunity to highlight his contribution to science and to promote science in general.
Darwin was a English naturalist and his book, ”On the Origin of Species“, published in 1859, was seminal in proposing the theory of Evolution: that all species of life have descended from common ancestors by a process of transmutation that he called “natural selection”, (where the struggle for existence has an analogous effect as the “artificial selection” employed in selective breeding husbandary).
Celebrations of his work and tributes were first organized in 1909 to mark both his centenary and the fiftieth anniversary of the publication of the book that helped to change the way that we look at the world. As well as events arranged at his family home, more than 400 scientists from over 167 countries met in Cambridge to review the recent discoveries and related theories that were then circulating and contesting acceptance amongst the scientific community.
In 1993, the Humanist Association of Palo Alto, in California, planned it’s first Darwin Day event which took the form of a public lecture. Other organizations also adopted the idea but the “official” website is coordinated by the International Darwin Day Foundation, (an autonomous program of the American Humanist Association).
Perhaps this is an appropriate day to take a brief look at the development of Biological Sciences here in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country with a rich variety of wildlife, both flora and fauna, with more than 12,000 animal and about 8000 plant species, (including many which are endemic and are found anywhere else). It is understandable, therefore, that Biology has always played an important role in Kyrgyz science.
This biodiversity and the genetic resources it represents are both significant and valuable part of the global gene pool.
Although the flora and fauna of Kyrgyzstan was studied and catalogued during the Soviet period, there are still species that are being discovered that have not yet studied and described. (Recently for example, an entomological survey discovered several examples of new species … and there are occasional stories in the press about new dinosaurs being unearthered).
Unfortunately, the research on the new species, their abundance, habitat distribution, food supply, migration, reproduction, and the impact of new factors of anthropogenic pressure, (the effect of humans on the environment, the habitat and numbers of different species of wildlife … topically, for example, as the result of mining), has been limited.
When it was established in 1943, (as a branch of the All Union Academy – based in Moscow), The Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, comprised of eight Institutes:
- Geology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Water and Power
- Zoology
- Medicine
- History
- Language
and some of the most important work carried out by its members is both academic and also addresses practical problems and has included:
- Animal husbandry – creating new breeds of animals specially suited to the conditions and life in mountain regions and
- the operation of the Botanical gardens (which which had actually been established earlier, in 1938) where research is carried out on the development of “high yield” crops.
At the moment, however, science in Kyrgyzstan is in a state of crisis – mainly arising from a lack of finance. Only something like forty million som is available for research currently carried out in the Biological sciences. There is a lack of funding for modern equipment, and consumables such as chemicals … yet alone to pay “decent” salaries to provide a realistic career structure and help to retain the best minds.
Work is apparently underway in the country, especially in the fields of Genetic Engineering, Molecular and Micro Biology and Biotechnology with the Academy and some of the Universities are participating in international cooperative projects, (with, for example, Imperial College, Cambridge University, Brussels University, Paris University, the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Heidelberg University), and publish occasional monographs and articles in respected internationally recognized journals.
Much of that work is connected to the nature of Kyrgyzstan as a mountainous country and the problems associated with this: such as health problems and appropriate medical treatments – amongst humans, livestock and crops. In the past, there was considerable work done on viruses in the republic and a Canadian company wanted to establish a laboratory here in Bishkek … but the proposal ran into considerable public opposition.
As in many other fields, one of the main concerns amongst policy makers is the aging population of scientists … young people do not seem to be attracted to science as a profession, perhaps because of the lack of public recognition and status – but, more likely, due to the poor levels of remuneration and career prospects.
Bishkek