Becca's New and Hot-- Week 3

My new and hot article this week is from the London Daily Telegraph, which reports that Darwin's famed Galapagos Islands are in the midst of such a huge "institutional, environmental, and social crisis" that ecotourism is being suspended. Apparently, the over 120,000 visitors per year-- and the airports, illegal fishing, and parasites they bring with them-- to the archipelago have introduced some serious problems, potentially harming the giant tortoises, 13 different species of finches, and marine iguanas (among so many other species) that live there. Officials worry that the ecosystem that helped inspire Darwin's theories is too fragile to hold up to the pressure. I felt that this article ties in well with what we've been talking about regarding the importance of place to historical events; how much of a role did the Galapagos Islands play in the formation of the theory? Similarly, how did all the other places where Darwin lived and worked affect his ideas? We will find out...

Full article at http://washingtontimes.com/world/20070416-103350-4771r_page2.htm