Call for Darwin geology link-up

Friday 3rd April 2009, 3:31PM BST.

darwin-small1 A Shropshire geologist has called for links to be strengthened between Charles Darwin’s work in the area of natural science and the hundreds of geologists who visit the county each year.

Geologist John Thornes, who is also a member of Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents’ Association, said while Darwin is best known for his theory of evolution by natural selection, his ideas have invaded many other areas of science.

“The whole of Britain could be the market for the Charles Darwin School of Natural Sciences, embracing botany, zoology, geology and ecology, with service departments in maths, physics and chemistry,” he said.

“At the very least we should have a Shrewsbury Charles Darwin Fellowship that would fund fieldwork for young academics. The Royal Geographical Society could be a partner in such a venture.”

Mr Thornes said Shropshire’s influence ex- tended much further than Darwin’s theories. He said: “Much of Chinese geology is named after Shropshire locations: the Wenlockian, the Longmyndian and even the Caradocian.”

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