Ligabue Magazine 53

In the field of scientific research, no one questions the basic concept of evolution. Just as no one would challenge the existence of mathematics. It is one of the pillars of scientific thought. If anything, the discussions focus on the mechanisms governing evolution. Understandably, scientists are always very surprised by those who refuse to believe what generations of palaeontologists, biologists and geneticists have demonstrated through their discoveries. It would be a mistake, however, to underestimate these continuous attacks. Indeed, we must constantly draw attention, especially for the new generations (and in schools), not only to evolution but also to the fields of studies related to it. Discussing evolution, in fact, enables us to explore the mechanisms of life, highlight the influences of the environment on living beings, delve into the various chapters of the prehistory of our planet and, most importantly, it is a good training ground for learning how to think scientifically. In short, it is a way of seeing the world which opens up the mind. And that is exactly what we have tried to do in this issue of our magazine.

Firstly, we explore the figure of Charles Darwin, in an article by Gabriele Rossi Osmida. Few people will be aware that Darwin showed remarkable courage by undettaking his famous voyage round the world. At that time shipwreck was a real constant threat; there were no radios or coastguards ready to rescue you. Setting off on a long sea or ocean voyage really did mean trusting in fate. Moreover, Darwin suffered terribly from seasickness. In his letters to his father, he described attacks that were so painful he almost fainted. Darwin paid a very high price for his scientific journey. He contracted a serious stomach disease which was to afflict him every day for the rest of his life. He was thus forced to give up travelling and retired to Down House, his fine country residence in Kent, and concentrated on elaborating his famous theory. One interesting feature, not far from his house, is a wood in which he used to walk every day. Today the trees can still be seen round a circular path of around 300 meters: this was his open-air study. Darwin walked round the path every day meditating on his theories and the problems to be solved. He set himself time lirnits to find a solution: at the beginning of the path, he arranged a row with a certain number of pebbles and each time he passed by he kicked one of the pebbles away. When there was none left, he stopped and went back home, with his conclusions…

In our second article, starting from the thought of the great naturalist, Giancarlo Ligabue explores the significance of evolution for the history of man. His reflections lead us to many discoveries which the Ligabue Study Centre has made over the past decades in the most remote corners of the world. By examining millions of years of human evolution, Giancarlo Ligabue enables us to rediscover the achievements of our most remote forebears and the mechanisms which led to the ramifications in our genealogical tree. This journey gradually takes us up to the present day. Reading this text is like browsing through our “family album”, with its pages on prehistory, history, DNA and the environment.
Next, Luigi Luca Cavalli Sforza, the best known population geneticist, takes us on a long and fascinating journey in search of Homo sapiens. This really is like embarking on a Beagle to travel the oceans of genetics in search of our origins.

The history of Homo sapiens is in fact inscribed in the genetic pool of our own cells. Thanks to long studies based on comparing the genetic profiles of various world populations, Cavalli Sforza was able to reconstruct this truly fascinating story. Homo sapiens is a recent species on the stage of evolution but in a very short time was able to occupy ali the continents. Yet there were only a “handful” of these forebears compared to today’s world population. We are surprised to discover that 10,000 years ago the world’s population swung between around l to 15 million individuals! This number is so small that it leads to some very interesting condusions on the degrees of kinship between the various groups and the evolutionary mechanisms detennining the development of the human species, which Cavalli Sforza illustrates in his article.

Giorgio Rivieccio, on the other hand, surveys the situation of Darwin’s theory today. One hundred and fifty years after its publication, theory theory is more relevant than ever, especially given the attention it still attracts. In fact, as Rivieccio points out, no scientific theory has ever been subject to so many examinations, revisions and trials as the theory of evolution. This article aims to help us explore the scientific thought surrounding the topic of evolution, with ali the ideas, minds and distinctions which the 20th century contributed. On reading the artide, we realise just how fascinating exploring and understanding our origins can be.

Francesca Mascotto’s “voyage of discovery” among the lamas in Mustang is a logical continuation of the long story of the evolution of life on Earth and of mankind. Mascotto takes us to the capitai of the kingdom of Mustang, a corner of Tibet in Nepalese territory, where traditions have remained intact and where we find the full beauty of the rituals, beliefs and values of the Tibetan world. Mustang is still little known in the West because its borders were closed until 1992. Each years, for three days, the local monks dress up in brightly coloured masks and head-dress and for hours dance to rhythms set by the sound of simple but powerful instruments. Mascotto describes this ritual charged with deep meanings. But what is even more amazing are the photographs and images of rare beauty, which she so ably captured in this forgotten corner of Asia. They evoke an ancient world, rediscovered and documented for the fust time, and are thus a typical example of the journeys and discoveries which have always been such a feature of Ligabue Magazine.
The last article takes us on an unusual journey to Venice and its world of dice and playing cards. Marco Da Ponte’s fascinating account of the lagoon city is full of curious facts and surprises. At first sight it may appear to be unconnected with the main theme of Darwin dealt with in this issue of the magazine. But in fact, as in evolution, “chance” also plays a crucial role in the destiny of all “gamblers”. Bon Voyage!

Bon Voyage!