Evolution in Darwin’s Tangled Bank: Tree, Coral or Web of Life? In the final paragraph of The Origin of Species, Darwin contemplates a bank of land and all of the differing life forms that dwell on that bank—plants, birds, worms, etc. All of these various life forms were produced by the same set of natural laws. While the life forms are widely different from each other, they are also “dependent on each other in so complex a manner.”
Our guest of honor, University of Connecticut’s Distinguished Professor Dr. J. Peter Gogarten, will explore the symbiotic relationships and genetic exchange between different organisms in his presentation, followed by a fireside chat moderated by Kira Dineen (founder and host of DNA Today) and audience Q&A.
Join us on February 7th, 2026 for cocktail hour, dinner, science quiz (with prizes!), and a presentation by Distinguished Professor J. Peter Gogarten.