Today is the 201st birthday of Charles Darwin. It is worth celebrating this anniversary not only because of Darwin’s great contributions to science, but also because of the practical ways his theory of evolution improves our lives today. From an article that explains in more detail how the theory of evolution guides medical advances, here are five reasons–drawn from medicine–why evolution is important:
1. H1N1 and emerging diseases
2. HIV
3. Vaccines
4. Antibiotic resistance
5. Drug development
These are only a handful of the reasons why evolution is important to medicine (check out more information at the links here and here). There are a host of other applications of evolution–agriculture, forensics, bioengineering. But the importance of evolution extends beyond its practical side; evolution explains the diversity of life on this planet, shows us our connection to other living things, and reveals profound insights into the processes of nature. Today, on Darwin’s 201st birthday, take a moment to reflect on the importance of evolution.
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