As part of the Darwin bicentennial celebrations, part 1 of volume 64 of the Revista de la Asociación Geológica Argentina was issued on the anniversary of his birth and analyses Darwin’s “important geological observations and to emphasise the validity of many of his ideas under a 21st Century perspective”. (The whole volume is available as a pdf on
www.darwin-online.org.uk.)
An introductory section by the editors highlights the areas Darwin visited during various excursions, with dates; while a frontspiece displays a signed photograph of Darwin, presented to Argentina’s National Academy of Sciences in 1878 when he was made an honorary member, 42 years after the voyage of HMS Beagle. Pedro José Depetris, a member of the Academy, gives a fascinating account of Darwin’s relationship with the Academy and the supporting documentation. The remainder of the volume embraces 16 papers on a great diversity of themes – a direct reflection of Darwin’s breadth of interest and observation. This article summarises the main contributions in that volume.