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Darwin–Wallace Medal facts for kids

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Darwin-Wallace medal
The Darwin–Wallace Medal

The Darwin–Wallace Medal is a special award given by the Linnean Society of London. It celebrates big discoveries in evolutionary biology, which is the study of how living things change over time.

This medal was first given out in 1908. That year was important because it was 50 years after two famous scientists, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, shared their ideas about natural selection with the Linnean Society. Natural selection is a key idea in evolution, explaining how species develop.

Alfred Russel Wallace was one of the first people to receive this medal. His medal was extra special because it was made of gold, while the others were silver. For a long time, the medal was only given every 50 years. But since 2010, it has been awarded every year because new discoveries in evolution are happening all the time!

Awardees

The Darwin–Wallace Medal has been given to many important scientists over the years. Here are the people who have received this special award.

1908 Award Winners

The very first medals were given in 1908. Alfred Russel Wallace received a gold medal, and six other respected scientists received silver medals.

1958 Award Winners

Fifty years later, in 1958, twenty silver medals were given out to more scientists who had made big contributions to evolutionary biology.

2008 Award Winners

In 2008, thirteen silver medals were awarded. Two of these were given to scientists after they had passed away, recognizing their lasting impact.

Award Winners from 2010 Onwards

Since 2010, the Darwin–Wallace Medal has been awarded every year. This shows how important new research in evolution continues to be.

See also

  • List of biology awards
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