Charles Darwin birthday is no monkey business

Charles Darwin University has celebrated the 208th birthday of its namesake, naturalist Charles Darwin, with a debate that determined the survival of the fittest argument.

Almost 150 people attended the Casuarina campus debate, “It’s time to rethink the theory of evolution”, MC’d by former NT Administrator Tom Pauling AO QC and streamed live to various interstate campuses.

A lively audience cheered on both teams, but ultimately gave a narrow win to the negative team, led by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research Professor Lawrence Cram and including Dr Alexandra Murray of the Research Office and Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Maddocks.

And while the negative team won the debate, the affirmative team won on creativity with arguments ranging from a flawless impersonation of a United States president, to an abundance of internet memes.

The affirmative team, led by Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Success Professor Martin Carroll, included researcher Dr Adam Britton, and Territory FM radio breakfast presenter Mel Little.

View photos from the event at W: cdu.edu.au/enews/stories/darwin-day-2017-gallery