I'm going to be listening in Wednesday night, August 19, 2009 to hear natural historian Richard Milner discuss his new book Darwin's Universe: Evolution From A to Z. The talk is free to everyone and is accessible by phone or Skype. Hosted by The Reading Odyssey and the Darwin Facebook project, the talk is described this way:

Milner will help to set context for our 150th Anniversary Lecture Series to begin in September by talking broadly about Darwin, evolution and Milner's new book which catalogs the scientific, cultural, political impact of the theory of evolution. Milner shares with the Reading Odyssey community the idea that we have a lot to learn from the great thinkers, great books and ideas of the past - and that we can "talk" to those thinkers and learn from them. As Milner says in his introduction, there is a lot of value to creating a conversation with Darwin. "Despite our conviction that present scientific knowledge surpasses anything known a century ago, we can still learn a great deal by 'talking over' the great questions of evolution and science with Darwin and his friends."

The Darwin Lecture series is currently set for four events, and will feature famed biologists and historians, including E. O. Wilson, Sean Carroll, and Everett Mendelsohn, among others. You can sign up for free tickets here. Tickets are limited (and free), so sign up ASAP to secure your spot.

As I argued in the recent post on my Creation "Museum" visit and the discussion I had with creationists, it is vital to understand the basic arguments about evolution, to understand the basics of the history of Darwin and Darwinism, and be capable of relaying that information to those who may not have such knowledge. Taking part in these free talks is a great way to further this effort and make your own ability to argue what you know more grounded in fundamentals.

If you have any interest in biology, evolution, Charles Darwin, or simply being able to counter creationist arguments, sign up for these free talks, and spread the word to others who might be interested as well.