“…whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” -Darwin, “On the Origin of Species”
In 1835, 22-year-old Charles Darwin arrived on the coast of San Cristóbal, an island in the Galápagos archipelago. Exploring the environmental diversity inherent in the islands, Darwin began to question generally accepted truths about life and natural science — and would go on to revolutionize the way we understand our world and our place in it.
Today, the Galápagos Science Center (GSC) carries on that legacy of curiosity and discovery. Mere steps from where Darwin’s Beagle first made landfall, GSC — a joint effort between UNC-Chapel Hill and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador — remains the epicenter of new exploration and discovery. Researchers studying everything from marine science to microbiology to genetics benefit from the center’s state-of-the-art resources and unique location. GSC also provides a training ground for the next generation of scientists whose passion and curiosity of the natural world may just yield the next Darwin.