Qatar National Library’s regular meeting of the Science Book Forum on 30 September focused on the multifaceted topic of evolution.
The forum discussed the foundations of the theory of evolution, which seeks to explain the origin and development of all species. Presentations by Dr. Michael Habib, Assistant Professor of Integrative Anatomical Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California; Dr. Ehab Abouheif, professor in the Department of Biology at McGill University; and Dr. Salman Hameed, Charles Taylor Chair and Associate Professor of Integrated Science and Humanities at the School of Cognitive Science, shed light on the principles of evolution in nature and the scientific questions that it attempts to address.
Fielding questions and comments from participants, the speakers also discussed the public perceptions of evolution and tackled several common misconceptions of this topic.
Noof Al Bader, a high school student who participated in the event, said: “Science is important to almost everything around us, so the more we can learn, the better off we are. It is therefore crucial that we engage in platforms such as the Science Book Forum to help us gain a greater understanding of scientific concepts and their impact on our day-to-day lives and the world in general.”
Yasser Mohammed, who also attended, said: “My children sometimes ask difficult questions when I talk to them about important scientific topics such as global warming, solar energy, storms and others. It can be challenging to give factual but easily understandable answers, so I always encourage them to ask the experts directly at these lectures, and also explore the scientific resources available at the Library.”