Happy Birthday Charles Darwin

Do you think that Charles Darwin ever imagined what type of effect his Theory of Evolution would have on the world? It was obvious even in his lifetime that Darwin's theory revolutionized the study of biology. But now, 200 years after his birth (and 150 years after he published On the Origin of Species), he is still making newspaper headlines. There are few scientists that can say that! Happy birthday Charles Darwin! I hope that you are still as popular 200 years from now (although hopefully not as controversial).

Here are some of the latest articles published in Science and Nature concerning evolution:

1. A new find pushes origins back 100 million years to an ice-encased Earth. http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/204/1


2. Human hunting alters organisms' size and breeding schedule three times faster than natural forces. http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/112/3


3. The idea that natural selection acts on groups, as well as individuals, is a source of unending debate. Marek Kohn reports on what the two sides disagree about — and why it matters to them. http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081119/full/456296a.html


4. While not new research, here are 15 wonderfully written examples published by Nature over the past decade or so which illustrate the breadth, depth and power of evolutionary thinking. http://www.nature.com/nature/newspdf/evolutiongems.pdf

Timing PR for Startups

Timing the release of your first PR campaign should be determined by your company’s goals. Typically launching a PR campaign before your product is ready to deliver is a bad idea. Customers can become disappointed and irritated if they try to purchase a product that is not available. This also tends to upset the employees who have direct contact with the disgruntled customers. Additionally, it will tip off the competition to your plans and give them time to prepare for your launch.

However, there are a few situations where an early PR campaign can benefit a startup.

• Some startups want to launch a PR campaign before their product is ready to sell in order to build buzz for a product launch. This should only be done if you can accurately predict when your product will be available and if your competition cannot quickly copy your product.


• Startups trying to obtain financing can benefit from using a PR campaign to catch the attention of venture capitalists, angel investors, or other investing partners.


• Startups in rapidly developing areas can use early PR campaigns to establish themselves as experts in their field.


• Startups with products that have long purchase cycles may want to contact potential customers as early as possible to stay competitive.