March 3, 2009 -- Charles Darwin "so revelled in his wife's prowess" as a pianist, that her musical talents influenced the British naturalist's theories on "the elusive mechanism of inheritance" and "the evolution of musicality," suggests a new paper. The paper, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Endeavour, indicates that Charles Darwin's home life, and particularly his love of music, played a larger role than many might think in shaping his work, such as his books "The Descent of Man" and "The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals." "The long-term marital dance of Emma and Charles Darwin was set to the routine beat of an almost daily piano recital," according to Julian Derry, who told Discovery News that "music was central to home life and a panacea after a hard day's work, or often when not feeling well." Derry, a researcher in the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Edinburgh, made the determination after studying Darwin family correspondence and other documents. These show Emma and Charles "were rarely separated" after they married in 1839, he said. Related Content:
The entire family appears to have been close, as evidenced by the fact that they even participated in some of Charles Darwin's experiments. Daughter Francis, for example, is thought to have played the piano loudly during studies on earthworms to see if the worms would react. They didn't, so Charles concluded worms "are completely deaf." Charles' appreciation of music began before marriage when, as a Cambridge student, he used to time his walks in order to hear anthems issuing from King's College Chapel. "This gave me intense pleasure, so that my backbone would sometimes shiver," he later wrote. The naturalist frequently lamented his own lack of musical skills, which seemed to heighten his admiration of Emma's playing, usually enjoyed while he reclined on a living room sofa. Such evenings may have contributed to Darwin’s theory of sexual selection. In "The Descent of Man," Darwin wrote, "I conclude that musical notes and rhythm were first acquired by the male or female progenitors of mankind for the sake of charming the opposite sex." Derry added, "Darwin's idea was that the organs for sound production in early humans could have been precursory to more complex verbal communication, namely language." More recent studies, such as research on Neanderthals, appear to support this theory. Derry also claims Darwin's observation of his 10 children and their varied musical abilities contributed to his theories on mechanisms for inheritance. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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