C. D. Darlington facts for kids

Cyril Dean Darlington (1903–1981) was an English scientist who studied living things. He was a biologist, someone who studies life, a cytologist, who studies cells, and a geneticist, who studies how traits are passed down. He made important discoveries about how chromosomes (tiny structures in cells that carry genetic information) exchange parts. This process, called chromosomal crossover, helps explain how traits are inherited and how evolution happens.

Darlington's work helped shape the understanding of evolution in the 20th century. However, some of his ideas about human differences were very controversial. He held views that are now widely seen as harmful and incorrect.

Biography

Early life and education

Cyril Darlington was born in Chorley, a small town in Lancashire, England, in 1903. His father was a teacher. When Cyril was eight, his family moved to London. He had a difficult childhood.

He didn't enjoy sports or school much. He decided he wanted to be a farmer in Australia. So, he went to the South Eastern Agricultural College at Wye. There, he became interested in Mendelian genetics, which is the study of how traits are passed from parents to children. He learned about the work of Thomas Hunt Morgan, another important geneticist. Cyril graduated from London University in 1923.

Starting his science career

In 1923, Cyril Darlington got a temporary job at the John Innes Horticultural Institution in Merton, London. He worked as an unpaid helper at first. This was an exciting time for the institution. Scientists were just starting to understand that chromosomes inside cells carry the information for heredity (how traits are passed down).

Cyril learned a lot from a scientist named Frank Newton. Darlington soon published his first scientific paper about a type of cherry. After that, he was hired as a permanent employee.

Later, another famous scientist, J.B.S. Haldane, came to the institution. Haldane became a good friend to Darlington. Cyril's confidence grew, and he started to make big discoveries. He helped explain how genetic crossing-over happens during meiosis. Meiosis is a special type of cell division that creates reproductive cells.

In 1931, Darlington started writing a book called Recent Advances in Cytology. It was published in 1932. This book made him famous. He showed that the way chromosomes change during evolution was much more complex than just simple changes to single genes.

He became the head of the Cytology Department in 1937. Two years later, he became the director of the John Innes Institution. This was only 15 years after he first arrived as an unpaid helper! He was recognized for his important work. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1941 and won the Royal Medal.

Later years and controversial views

In 1953, Darlington left the John Innes Institution. He became a professor at Oxford University. There, he became very interested in the Botanic Garden and helped create a 'Genetic Garden'. He also worked to expand the teaching of genetics at the university.

In his later years, Darlington became more involved in public discussions about science and society. He believed that human genetics played a role in behavior. He also believed that there were differences in character and culture between different groups of people, which he called "races." He thought understanding these differences was important for society.

Darlington wrote several books where he explored how human history could be understood through genetics and evolution. He retired from his official position at the University in 1971. He continued to write and publish his work. Cyril Darlington died in Oxford in 1981. He had five children.

Books by Darlington

(A partial list)

• Chromosomes and Plant Breeding, Macmillan (1932).
• Recent Advances in Cytology, Churchill (1932).
• Chromosome Atlas of Cultivated Plants, C D Darlington and E K Janaki Ammal (1945).
• The Facts of Life, George Allen and Unwin (1953).
• Darwin's Place in History, Blackwell (1959).
• Chromosome Botany and the Origins of Cultivated Plants, Hafner Pub. Co (1963).
• Genetics and Man, George Allen and Unwin (1964).
• Cytology, Churchill (1965).
• The Evolution of Man and Society, (1969) ISBN: 0-04-575011-4.
• The Little Universe of Man, George Allen and Unwin (1978) ISBN: 0-04-570010-9.

See also

In Spanish: Cyril Dean Darlington para niños