Darwin Day 2026 -“The Irony of Evolution”

Darwin Day Lecture: The Irony of Evolution, Dr Thomas C. Durand

Did you know that the theory of evolution is one of the most resisted scientific theories in the world?
This year, we had the privilege of welcoming Dr Thomas C. Durand, who travelled from France to deliver the Annual HAI Darwin Day Lecture at Trinity College Dublin on 12 February 2026. In his talk, Dr Durand explored a fascinating paradox: why our brains, products of evolution themselves, can become obstacles to understanding the theory of evolution.
The event was particularly special as it marked Dr Durand’s first lecture delivered in English.

Dr Thomas C. Durand is a well-known science communicator in France and a founding member of the non-profit organisation ASTEC (Association for Science and Transmission of Critical Thinking). He holds a PhD in plant physiology and, after several years in academic research, now dedicates his work to promoting science literacy, critical thinking, and the examination of belief systems.

Many people know him through his award-winning and widely followed YouTube channel “La Tronche en Biais” (literally “looking at things from a different angle”), where he explores scientific reasoning, and the mechanisms behind misinformation. The channel features nearly 900 videos and has become one of the most influential French-language platforms dedicated to promoting critical thinking. Alongside his videos and blog, Dr Durand has written numerous books on science communication and critical thinking. The lecture was based on one of these works, The Irony of Evolution, which received the Diderot Prize for Science Communication.

As Professor David McConnell noted in his concluding remarks, Dr Durand delivered a highly engaging lecture, punctuated with a sharp sense of humour. Through striking examples, he invited the audience to explore how cognitive biases, deeply embedded in our minds, can interfere with our understanding of evolutionary theory.

If you missed the Darwin Day Lecture, or would like to hear Dr Durand again, you can watch the Recording HERE

Contribution by Dr Laetitia Chauve, Research Ireland Pathway Fellow, Smurfit Institute of Genetics
Trinity College Dublin

Bibliography

• La vie après la mort ? Une approche rationnelle(A Rational Approach to Life After Death), Book-e-book, 2016.
• L’ironie de l’évolution(The Irony of Evolution), Seuil, 2018 — La Science se Livre Prize, 2019.
• Quand est-ce qu’on biaise ?(When Do We Bias?), humenSciences, 2019.
• Connaissez-vous l’homéopathie ?(Do You Really Know Homeopathy?), Éditions Matériologiques, 2019.
• L’Évolution, ça marche(Evolution Works), Seuil, 2019.
• La science des balivernes(The Science of Nonsense), humenSciences, 2020.
• Pyramidologie : aux sources de la pseudo-archéologie(Pyramidology: At the Roots of Pseudo-Archaeology), Book-e-book, 2021.
• DIEU, la contre-enquête(GOD: The Counter-Investigation), humenSciences, 2022.
• L’esprit critique pour les Nuls(Critical Thinking for Dummies), First, 2023.