Category: SCIENCE EPISODES

EP051 DARWIN DOWN UNDER

This is the final episode in the series on Charles Darwin’s five-year journey aboard the HMS Beagle. I delve into Darwin’s impressions of Australia and the European contact history during his visit in 1835.

Episode Highlights:

  • Arrival in Australia: After months of sailing, HMS Beagle arrived in Sydney, Australia, in January 1836. Darwin was fascinated by the diversity of flora and fauna that he encountered upon his arrival. He marveled at the unique wildlife, including kangaroos, platypus, and various species of parrots, which were vastly different from what he had seen in other parts of the world.
  • Interaction with Indigenous People: During his time in Australia, Darwin also had the opportunity to interact with the indigenous people. He was struck by their unique cultures, customs, and ways of life. He observed their hunting techniques, studied their tools and weapons, and learned about their rich spiritual beliefs and traditions. However, Darwin also noted the detrimental effects of European colonization on the indigenous populations, including the loss of land, resources, and cultural heritage. Darwin reflected on the impact of colonization on the local ecosystems, including deforestation, introduction of foreign species, and disruption of natural habitats.
  • Scientific Observations: As a naturalist, Darwin made extensive scientific observations during his time in Australia. He collected specimens of plants, animals, and fossils, and conducted studies on geology, zoology, and botany. His observations and collections from Australia provided critical evidence for his later work on the theory of evolution, including his groundbreaking book “On the Origin of Species.”
  • Impacts on Darwin’s Thinking: Darwin’s time in Australia had a profound impact on his scientific thinking. He witnessed firsthand the rich biodiversity and complex ecosystems of the continent, which contributed to his understanding of the interconnectedness of life on Earth. He also witnessed the consequences of human activity on the environment and indigenous cultures, which influenced his ideas on adaptation, natural selection, and the fragile balance of ecosystems.
  • Keeling Islands: During his voyage on HMS Beagle, Darwin also visited the Keeling Islands, a remote group of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, which are now known as the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Darwin was fascinated by the unique ecosystems of these islands, including the diverse marine life and the complex interactions between coral reefs and their inhabitants. He conducted extensive studies on the geology, flora, and fauna of the islands, and his observations contributed to his understanding of the formation and evolution of coral atolls, as well as the adaptation of species to their environments.
  • Mauritius: Darwin’s journey then took him to Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean. During his time there, he studied the island’s rich biodiversity, including its unique flora and fauna. He was particularly interested in the giant tortoises of Mauritius, which were endemic to the island and had a significant impact on the local ecosystem. Darwin’s observations of the extinct dodo, a flightless bird that once inhabited Mauritius, also provided important insights into the concept of extinction and the vulnerability of species to environmental changes. His time in Mauritius further enriched his understanding of the interplay between species, ecosystems, and environmental conditions.
  • Reflections on His First Three Years Back in England: After his voyage on HMS Beagle, Darwin returned to England in 1836 and spent the next three years reflecting on his experiences and conducting further research. He meticulously documented his findings and worked on analyzing the vast amount of data he had collected during his voyage. He corresponded with fellow scientists, including botanists, geologists, and zoologists, and shared his observations and ideas. Darwin also continued to explore and study specimens from his collections, including fossils, plants, and animals, which further deepened his understanding of the natural world.
  • Evolution vs Religion: During this period, Darwin also faced challenges in reconciling his scientific discoveries with his religious beliefs, as his observations on the voyage had challenged traditional Christian views on the origin and diversity of life. His thoughts on evolution and natural selection began to take shape, and he started to develop the framework for his groundbreaking theory of evolution, which he would later publish in his seminal work, “On the Origin of Species.”
  • The voyage home: Charles Darwin’s voyage on HMS Beagle to Australia, the Keeling Islands, and Mauritius was just the beginning of his remarkable scientific journey. His reflections and research during the first three years back in England after his voyage were crucial in shaping his groundbreaking theories on evolution and natural selection. Darwin’s scientific legacy continues to influence our understanding of the natural world and remains a cornerstone of modern biology, making him one of the most significant and enduring figures in the history of science.

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com. The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. To support the show on Patreon, either CLICK HERE or you can go to Patreon and search for Age of Victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

EP050 DARWIN IN PARADISE

This is episode four of series on Charles Darwin’s five-year journey aboard the HMS Beagle. Darwin arrived in Tahiti in November 1835 and spent a month there. He was struck by the beauty of the island and its people, whom he described as “the finest race of savages in the world.” He was particularly impressed by their hospitality, noting that they were “good-tempered and cheerful, honest and obliging.” Darwin also observed the Tahitians’ social customs, such as their elaborate tattoos and their practice of polygamy.

Learn about his time on the island, the start of European colonisation, and the coming of Christianity. Conflict and conquest cast a shadow over Tahiti’s future. European contact with Tahiti had immense consequences for the Tahitians. It brought new technologies and goods, such as firearms and textiles, but it also introduced diseases such as smallpox, which decimated the population. See how European visitors and traders exploited the Tahitians, leading to conflict and resentment. There was also the immense impact of the London Missionary Society, and the spread of Christianity. Missionaries viewed Tahiti less as paradise, and more as a place of vice and paganism. 

Despite these challenges, the Tahitians maintained their distinct culture and way of life. Darwin’s visit to the island provided a glimpse into their world and contributed to his understanding of the diversity of human societies. In 1842, France claimed Tahiti as a protectorate, and in 1843, it established a naval base on the island. This led to a series of conflicts between the French and the Tahitians, culminating in the French Tahitian War in 1844. 

Darwin’s visit was a window into a vanishing world. Join me as we cover Darwin’s time in paradise and learn about the last decade of independent Tahiti before the arrival of the French in the 1840s. 

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com. The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. To support the show on Patreon, either CLICK HERE or you can go to Patreon and search for Age of Victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

EP049 DARWIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD

The world can be a dangerous place. For explorers like Darwin to see the treasures of nature, they had to go boldly to the ends of the world. Join me as Darwin sails into savage and stormy seas, and find breathtaking beauty.

  • Intro. 
  • The lonely lands of Tierra Del Fuego.
  • Isolation.
  • A fragile speak on a vast stormy sea.
  • The Beagle Channel
  • Into the Pacific
  • Chile & the great quake
  • Exploring the Andes
  • More evidence – the scientific data mounts up
  • Onwards to the Tortoises
  • Of tortoises and more interesting animals.

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com. The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. To support the show on Patreon, either CLICK HERE or you can go to Patreon and search for Age of Victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

EP048: A BIT OF SLOTH

Darwin’s great voyage of discovery continues. The ancient past was a vast mystery, with many claiming that God alone was the explanation for all things. As Darwin travelled and jotted his observations in his little notebooks, he began to lift the veil on the ancient past. New species, now long vanished, were discovered. Darwin began to build the foundations for our understanding of the world. This episode covers;

  • Intro, thank you’s and reviews. 
  • The problem with fossils
  • Time in Brazil
  • The horror of slavery
  • Flying spiders
  • Uncovering giants in Argentina
  • The problems with Taxonomy
  • The problems with Richard Owens, genius and git
  • Toxodon platensis and other megafauna
  • The Clovis extinction debate
  • The problem of intermediate forms
  • Let’s talk about giant sloths, small sloths, and the importance of sloths
  • “I saw sea shells, no where near the sea shore”
  • Terraces, and continental uplift
  • Until next time.

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com. The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. To support the show on Patreon, either CLICK HERE or you can go to Patreon and search for Age of Victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

EP047 DARWIN BEGINS

Darwin, and his Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection; in this podcast we’ve covered the creation of the new settler Empire and the transition to the new energy form of coal & steam, then the railways, but Darwin had a bigger impact on civilisation than even those. This episode is the start of a series of episodes on Darwin and Evolution. It covers;

  • Intro, thank you’s and reviews.
  • The philosophy of mind & matter
  • Darwin’s dangerous idea
  • The young student
  • A trip to Wales
  • HMS Beagle; how to get a bad ship ready for adventure
  • Captain FitzRoy, a troubled man
  • Geology, physics and the age of the Earth
  • The journey begins.

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com. The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. To support the show on Patreon, either CLICK HERE or you can go to Patreon and search for Age of Victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

5TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – SAY CHEESE

This anniversary is a memorable event and naturally deserves to be photographed by the paparazzi. But what was the story of the invention of the photograph, and how did it become a Victorian icon? A story filled with invention, persistence, a lot of daring do, and possibly holding back some manly tears. Not to mention artistic nudes, pioneering thinking from governments, lots of chemicals and real dedication. 

 This episode covers. 

  • Intro & reviews.
  • Some all time great photographs.
  • The veil of history.
  • Early steps towards photography.
  • No invention is a vacuum.
  • The Daguerreotype and patents
  • Henry Fox Talbot & the Calotype.
  • The Collodion process
  • Photography spreads out around the world.
  • What was photography for?
  • Photography in India.
  • The unflappable Samuel Bourne.
  • Yes, but it it art?
  • The female nude.
  • It’s not just naked women; other uses for photographs.
  • The artist creates the truth by destroying it; making fake photos for art.
  • What is art, truth and how did all this matter?
  • A plea for support
  • Thank you’s.
  • The Daguerreotype and patents

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com. The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. To support the show on Patreon, either CLICK HERE or you can go to Patreon and search for Age of Victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

4TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL – LOVELACE AND BABBAGE

To celebrate the 4th anniversary, the episode will be all about Lovelace and Babbage; the true inventors of the computer age. The episode covers

  • Intro & reviews.
  • “There must be an easier way to do this” – why being lazy can change the world
  • What were these engines?
  • Ada Lovelace, a life in Technicolour
  • Ada’s Victorian childhood – of course it was awful.
  • Mentorship and marriage.
  • Lovelace and Babbage – a very productive partnership.
  • Lovelace’s really quite brilliant idea’s.
  • Ada writes a really not very nice letter.
  • Oh what might have been; Bernoulli numbers and more besides.
  • Lovelace and cancer.
  • Babbage becomes yesterday’s man.

If you want to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com, follow me on twitter @ageofvictoria, visit the website at www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com

The show also has a facebook page and group. Just search for Age of Victoria. Don’t forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, it takes less time than making a coffee. You can also subscribe for free on most major podcast apps. If you want to support the show on PATREON, or you can go to Patreon and search for age of victoria podcast or my name. Take care and bye for now.

EP025 The industrial revolution & shattering the energy ceiling.

Forged in fire, the new era is born. The British unlock a new energy source and create the industrial revolution. Humanity around the world is transformed; no longer limited by our own muscles or the plodding of animals or the slow harnessing of wind and wave. Instead the British unleashed a revolution that allowed humanity to surpass all of its previous limit. Without this moment, nothing in the modern world would have been possible.

This show has

  • An outline of key concepts of energy sources and management.

  • The application of energy to useful tasks.

  • The early pioneers.

  • The great ripples of change.

  • Triumph of industry

  • Poverty in the midst of plenty.

  • Angry authors & a cultural shift.

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EP015 MT TAMBORA PT3: EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FROZE TO DEATH

The fledgling United States is hit by freezing storms as the fall out from Mt Tambora continues to wreck havoc around the world. Then we turn to Switzerland and see how the darkness gives rise to the great gothic work of Frankenstein.

In this episode we cover

  • Climate science in the USA
  • The early colonial economy
  • The oncoming storms
  • Impact and drivers of migration
  • Situation on mainland Europe
  • The fateful party: Lord Byron, Mary Shelly and company.
  • The Romantic and the Gothic.

If you enjoy the show, you can reach me at ageofvictoriapodcast@gmail.com or on Facebook or on Twitter @ageofvictoria

Or visit the website www.ageofvictoriapodcast.com

EP 014 DARKNESS FALLS: MT TAMBORA PT2

Mt Tambora has devastated huge area’s in the Pacific. Now its global impact begins to be felt. In this latest monthly narrative show your host, Chris Fernandez-Packham, explores the enormous impact on the British mainland and Ireland in 1816 as the Year Without Summer Begins to bite.

Topic outline

Volcanoes and climate science.

C19th Weather and climate science.

The labour market and politics in Britain in 1815

The edge of revolution.

The year without summer hits the economy

Slow stabilisation.

1816 begins in Ireland

The Irish political and economic situation

A companions of the famines: 1816 vs 1845

Typhus and poor relief

An unhappy ending in Britain and Ireland.

 

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EP013 THE VOLCANO’S WRATH: THE YEAR WITHOUT SUMMER PT1

No one in 1815 thought the world was about to change, but a cataclysmic volcanic eruption was about to change the course of history. The affairs of men seemed so important, yet in the tranquil Pacific, nature was about to shake the world and civilisations to their foundations. Join me for part 1 of the series on 1816 The Year without Summer as we learn about one of the greatest volcanoes in history. The world would never be the same again.

 

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