A Walk with our Ancestors: Human Evolution and Archaeology

Saturday 13^th May 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Emeritus Professor of Genetics Norman Maclean

Beginning with an account of early human evolution from ape-like ancestors, the proliferation of many hominid species in Africa, and the eventual move out of Africa by Homo Sapiens and other hominids. Norman will examine many unsolved mysteries such as what happened to the Neanderthals, how the "Hobbit" people evolved on the island of Flores, how humans lost their body hair but became very clever, and what brought about the demise of the Indus Valley culture.  A range of Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Indus Valley artefacts will be available to view.

Norman Maclean is an Emeritus Professor of Genetics at Southampton University, a BHA eminent humanist, Chair of South Hants Humanists, and author of many popular nature books including "Silent Summer" and "A Less Green and Pleasant Land".   

“Join us for a fascinating afternoon exploring some of the mysteries of human evolution”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Broken Trust, Damaged Minds

Saturday 8^th October 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Psychologist Peter Naish

There can be little doubt that many people have been harmed by the predatory sexual activities of Jimmy Savile. The nature of child abuse often leaves victims with profound psychological damage that affects them for life, yet there is huge variation in the extent and nature of the impact on the victims, with some apparently suffering little long term harm. Why do different people (both adults and children) respond so differently to trauma, and what factors can help us to be more resilient? in attempting to resolve this issue, Peter Naish will consider a wide range of evidence including everything from brain architecture to the new science of epigenetics.  Along the way we will hear some sad stories, putting a very human face on the science of the neural response to trauma.

Psychologist Dr Peter Naish, now allegedly retired, retains academic links with the Open University, and the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science, at Sussex University.  After a lifetime that has included working for the Home Office and Ministry of Defence, he has settled down to ‘a comfortable mix of research, expert witness work, and a busy speaking schedule'.

“Join us to explore our varying responses to trauma, and the factors that can mitigate the psychological harm suffered”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

Animal Journeys: Migration and Navigation

Saturday 13^th August 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Emeritus Professor Norman Maclean

What is it that makes animal migration such a magnificent spectacle? Is it the sheer abundance of wildlife in motion, or the amazing feats of precise navigation required to reach the distant destinations that must be somehow coded in genetic memory?

Animal migrations are one of the great wonders of the animal world, made all the more interesting as so many mysteries remain about it. In this talk, Norman Maclean will be exploring our current understanding of this fascinating subject, with a special focus on the various navigational systems used by different species - from navigating by the sun and stars, to using exotic supersenses that rely on quantum entanglement to guide the animals on their way!

Norman Maclean is an Emeritus Professor of Genetics at Southampton University. His research interests and writings span genetics, genomics, fish, conservation of wildlife and molecular biology, and he has written and edited many popular books on nature and genetics. His books include: Silent Summer: the state of the wildlife in Britain and Ireland, A Less Green and Pleasant Land: Our Threatened Wildlife and Animals with novel genes.

“Join us for a fascinating afternoon exploring the mysteries of animal migration”

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.

The Enigma of Nature and Nurture

Saturday 8^th August 2.00pm 
Moordown Community Centre, Coronation Avenue, Moordown Bournemouth BH9 1TW

With Emeritus Professor Norman Maclean

Eminent geneticist Norman Maclean will be exploring the dual influences of heredity and the environment on our behaviour, intelligence and personality. The nature or nurture debate is one of the oldest in psychology, and has particular relevance for topics such as crime and punishment; as whether someone has a genetic predisposition to behave in a certain way (nature) or has learned criminal behaviours (nurture) affects how much personal responsibility they should bear for their actions.

The debate also profoundly affects educational theory and practice. Should we encourage our children to study, and invest significant resources in their education, assuming that learning and intelligence is mainly nurture, or is intelligence chiefly inherited so the talented will always do well?

Rare cases of identical twins separated at birth and reared separately have helped move these debates forward, but how close are we to solving these psychological and biological mysteries? Find out in this fascinating talk! 

Norman Maclean is an Emeritus Professor of Genetics at Southampton University. His research interests and writings span genetics, genomics, fish, conservation of wildlife and molecular biology, and he has written and edited many popular books on nature and genetics. His books include: Silent Summer: the state of the wildlife in Britain and Ireland, A Less Green and Pleasant Land: Our Threatened Wildlife and Animals with novel genes.

Join us for a thought-provoking examination of the nature or nurture debate!

Free entry (donations appreciated).     Everyone welcome!

Please indicate your interest in attending this event on Meetup.com and/or facebook as it helps raise our group’s profile on these sites (Meetup also offers you timely email reminders and an easy way to discover other interesting groups in your area). To help you find them, here are the direct links to our event listings on these sites:

http://www.meetup.com/Dorset-Humanists/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/dorsethumanists/events/

You can also help us promote Dorset Humanists and this event by displaying an A4 poster. Download an A4 printable copy here, or email Dave at DHcensus(at)hotmail.co.uk for a PDF.

Click here to view details of other forthcoming and recent events on this website.