Could Darwin Be Connected to New Era Inventions?

When thinking about new inventions in modern day, we don’t really think about where all of these innovations started from, from who they were created by. Scientists now are finding new types of ways to advance our medical innovations with theories from centuries ago which could effect the following new eras. Charles Darwin was a scientist in the 1800’s who believed in process called “natural selection” which proved that species changed and evolved over time due to several changes. In “Inventors and Scientists: Charles Darwin” by Big History Project, they stated that “Darwin’s father steered him first into medicine, then into the ministry, but Darwin had wanted to become a naturalist.” Naturalist meaning he refused to believe that the world was created by anything other than nature itself. In the early ages of his life, Darwin went through a peregrination among many areas of the world including the Galapagos Islands. Darwin came back to his hometown with very distinct animals and birds with similar features. After examining the birds further he found, “When Darwin examined the variations in their beaks, he saw how they were adapted to eating the different kinds of seeds available on the birds’ various native islands. The design of each type of beak had developed from the need for food.” meaning, although all the birds came from the same area and were all the same type of birds, they had small differences depending on what they needed to live. Darwin came to a fruitless decision on whether or not to tell people of his discovery because he felt as if he would offend those who believed in the divine creation. When he found out that some scientist were coming to the same conclusion as him and he was not alone therefore he came to the fruition that concluded,  “Darwin presented three kinds of evidence in support of his theory of “natural selection.” First, fossils showed that species have changed over time. Second, geographical distribution showed that species are descended from local ancestors, even if the environment is similar elsewhere. Third, he identified unexpected similarities between species. For example, cats, whales, bats, and humans all have fingers. The finger bones showed that these species are all related to each other, despite their huge differences.” meaning that all these things he found out, all came together to prove natural selection was true. In the new era, scientist are taking Darwin’s old theories and experiments to create new ones. In “Doctors 3D-print ‘living’ body parts” by James Gallagher, Scientists are naturally recreating body parts for those who need it. The bones and muscles being made have been tested on animals to see if they’ll react the same way on humans and make sure they work for their function, which is connected to Darwin’s theory that humans and animals come from the same place and is why we have similar structures. This is how it would work out, “The Integrated Tissue and Organ Printing System – or Itop – combines a bio-degradable plastic which gives the structure and a water-based gel which contains the cells and encourages them to grow…When the structures were implanted into animals, the plastic broke down as it was replaced by a natural, structural “matrix” of proteins produced by the cells.” meaning the cells would be implanted into the plastic for them to grow and when they adjust to the area that is damaged, the plastic falls off and the rest grows together again.

In “Doctors 3D-print ‘living’ body parts” by James Gallagher, the article included “goose that really does lay golden eggs” which was said by other experts towards the idea of making body parts from technology. The reason this was included in the article was to explain how this theory is actually starting to play out. Most of the time, new inventions take a while or years to actually start working or just don’t ever work but this new 3D printing invention is actually working which is why it is given the name golden goose. The project had broken through and the progress is going much faster than expected although there are still some perks to it. Adding this point to the article aggregates the whole experiment as a enormous achievement in modern technology and medicine. In the same article it was written that “The prospect of printing human tissues and organs for implantation has been a real one for some time, but I confess I did not expect to see such rapid progress.” Professor Birchall states here that he didn’t expect all of the success in the project furthermore explaining the golden goose statement. Scientist just want to make it idyllic in the future in case someone needs an organ and there are none available for those who are ill. It was important to include these quoted words in the article because it makes the reader see how successful 3D printing is coming to and to share and spread hope for people who need it. The effects of these quotes give us hope for future medicine and loved ones because this is only the beginning.

Doctors 3D-print ‘living’ body parts

Inventors and Scientists: Charles Darwin