Despite wild weather outside, a fantastic crowd gathered at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) for this year’s sold out Darwin Day lecture, “The Irony of Evolution,” the first such lecture delivered in English by Dr. Thomas C. Durand.

Dr. Durand explored how our cognitive biases, shaped by evolution itself, can make it surprisingly difficult to grasp and accept evolutionary theory. By unpacking how our intuitive ways of understanding the world often clash with Darwin’s insights, he shed light on why evolution is so frequently misunderstood or resisted. The lecture struck a perfect balance between intellectual depth and engaging humour, leaving the audience both enlightened and entertained; a brilliant celebration of everything Darwin.

Special thanks to Laetitia Chauve (TCD), HAI Chairperson Michael O’Kane, and honorary HAI President David McConnell for their invaluable contributions.

You can watch the full video above or over on our YouTube Channel.