Podcast Summary: Acontece que no es poco | 4 de enero de 1837: Darwin, los pinzones, Mayor Oreja y los involucionados

Podcast: Todo Concostrina (SER Podcast)
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Date: January 9, 2025

Overview:

In this characteristically sharp and witty episode, Nieves Concostrina tackles a peculiar intersection of history, science, and contemporary politics. Taking as her pretext the 4th of January, 1837—the day Darwin presented his Galápagos finches—Concostrina delivers an irreverent but informative defense of the theory of evolution, prompted by recent anti-evolution statements from Spanish politician Jaime Mayor Oreja. The episode weaves together a history lesson about Darwin and the Spanish naturalist Félix de Azara, a critique of modern anti-science rhetoric, and the importance of calling out ignorance in public life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Darwin, Mayor Oreja, and Modern Anti-Evolution

• The Connection:
  • Carla and Nieves open by marveling at the juxtaposition of Darwin and Jaime Mayor Oreja—a prominent Spanish conservative politician who recently publicly denied the theory of evolution in the Spanish Senate, espousing creationist views.
    ([00:13] “¿Qué tendrán que ver Darwin y Mayor Oreja?” — Carla)
• Concostrina’s Take:
  • Takes direct aim at Mayor Oreja, calling him “uno de los especímenes involucionados” and lamenting that such views persist in modern democratic forums.
    ([00:42] “Este señor...yo creo que se encuentra entre los especímenes involucionados.” — Nieves)
• The Danger:
  • Far from being merely laughable, Concostrina notes, such public misinformation has serious consequences:
    ([01:14] “Esto es muy grave y no se puede consentir que un señor en claro retroceso evolutivo utilice una tribuna democrática para trasladar bulos, mentiras y supersticiones, porque la ciencia ya ha demostrado que Dios no existe, que la creación es mentira y la evolución es un hecho.” — Nieves)

2. Darwin, the Galápagos, and the Finches

• Historical Anecdote:
  • On January 4, 1837, Darwin presented to the Zoological Society of London his specimens from the Galápagos, thinking he had four different bird species; ornithologist John Gould revealed they were all finches—each adapted differently, thus sparking Darwin’s key insight on evolution.
    ([06:10] “Darwin...llevó a la Sociedad Zoológica ejemplares de mamíferos y aves de las Galápagos... y un famoso ornitólogo... cuando vio los pajarillos le hizo notar que en realidad no eran especies distintas, que eran todos pinzones, todos eran el mismo.” — Nieves)
• Lesson for Anti-Evolutionists:
  • Concostrina humorously suggests Mayor Oreja should follow Darwin’s example and educate himself by traveling and observing, rather than promoting biblical literalism.
    ([01:37] “...le recomendaría al señor Mayor Oreja del PP que además de estudiar, pues viaje un poquito, qué fue eso lo que hizo Darwin.” — Nieves)

3. #MensajeMayorOreja: The Response of the Scientific Community

• Social Media Backlash:
  • The scientific community and media (including SER) responded to Mayor Oreja’s comments with the hashtag #mensajeMayorOreja, delivering “por los cuatro costados”.
    ([03:46] “...un movimiento de científicos en las redes sociales a partir de las tontadas esta que soltó Mayor Oreja con el hashtag mensaje Mayor Oreja. Un mensaje al que por cierto se sumó también esta casa, la Cadena SER.” — Carla)
• Standout Quote:
  • Citing astrophysicist Iván Martí Vidal:

    “La teoría de la evolución no es sólo una teoría, es un hecho. Y quien no acepte esto es un imbécil. En cuanto al creacionismo, es una soberana gilipollez que demuestra de hecho que quienes lo creen aún tienen algo de simios.” ([05:00] — Iván Martí Vidal, read by Nieves)

4. Félix de Azara: The Spanish Naturalist Who Inspired Darwin

• Who Was Azara?
  • A largely overlooked Spanish engineer, explorer, and naturalist, sent to South America to negotiate borders and ended up mapping, documenting 448 new species, and pioneering fieldwork-based science. ([08:03] “Félix de Azara fue uno de los naturalistas más destacados del siglo XVIII. Era ingeniero, explorador, cartógrafo, antropólogo...” — Nieves)
• Indirect Connection to Darwin:
  • Though they never met (Azara died when Darwin was 12), Darwin relied heavily on Azara’s meticulous observations in the Americas, quoting him 13 times in On the Origin of Species.
    ([10:29] “...en su libro sobre el origen de las especies, Darwin cita hasta en 13 ocasiones al señor de Huesca.” — Nieves)
• Personal Touch:
  • A direct descendant of Azara listens to the show—a fact connecting past and present. ([11:36] “...un directo descendiente de Félix de Azara, que además se llama Félix por su tatatarabuelito, es oyente de la Venta.” — Nieves)

5. Ignorance, Superstition, and the Struggle for Truth in Public Life

• Persistence of Ignorance:
  • The hosts bemoan that in modern times, basic scientific facts (like evolution) are still publicly doubted. ([12:33] “...lo extravagante es que a estas alturas de la vida todavía alguien se atreva a poner en duda lo de la evolución.” — Carla)
• The Religious and Political Reaction:
  • Citing 19th-century backlash in Spain after Darwin’s ideas spread, Nieves recalls the case of Máximo Fuertes Acevedo, who lost his institute directorship due to clerical pressure and smear campaigns against Darwinism, comparing this to the statements of Mayor Oreja. ([13:50] “...Máximo Fuertes Acevedo...consiguió finalmente que este investigador fuera depuesto de la dirección del Instituto de Badajoz...” — Nieves)
• Uncompromising Rebuttal:
  • Concostrina with characteristic bluntness:

    “Y por la tribuna del Senado no deben pasar simios.” ([14:48] — Nieves)

• Carla closes with a dry “Amén.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Mayor Oreja’s regression:
  • [00:42] Nieves: “...yo creo que se encuentra entre los especímenes involucionados.”
• On the seriousness of science denial:
  • [01:14] Nieves: “La ciencia ya ha demostrado que Dios no existe, que la creación es mentira y la evolución es un hecho.”
• On the need for frankness:
  • [05:00] Iván Martí Vidal (quoted by Nieves): "La teoría de la evolución no es sólo una teoría, es un hecho. Y quien no acepte esto es un imbécil. En cuanto al creacionismo, es una soberana gilipollez."
• On Félix de Azara:
  • [08:03] Nieves: “...uno de los naturalistas más destacados del siglo XVIII. Era ingeniero, explorador, cartógrafo, antropólogo...”
• On historical resistance to Darwinism:
  • [14:05] Nieves: “Consiguió finalmente que este investigador fuera depuesto de la dirección del Instituto de Badajoz...”
• Blunt closing remark:
  • [14:48] Nieves: “Y por la tribuna del Senado no deben pasar simios.”
  • [14:49] Carla: “Amén.”

Important Timestamps

• [00:13] – Carla frames the strange pairing of Darwin and Mayor Oreja.
• [01:14] – Nieves expresses indignation at anti-evolution rhetoric in the Senate.
• [06:10] – The spark of Darwin’s insight after John Gould’s correction.
• [08:03] – Introduction of Félix de Azara and his contributions.
• [10:29] – Explanation of Azara’s influence on Darwin.
• [12:33] – Reflection on the persistence of anti-science attitudes.
• [14:05] – The historical case of scientific persecution in 19th-century Spain.
• [14:48] – “Por la tribuna del Senado no deben pasar simios.”

Tone and Style

The episode is delivered in Nieves Concostrina’s trademark irreverent, direct, and humorous style, mixing biting criticism with historical anecdotes and cultural commentary. The conversation is playful but uncompromising, especially in calling out willful ignorance and urging the value of education and scientific rigor.

In Short...

This episode seamlessly knits past and present, using the historical pivot of Darwin’s finches to skewer modern anti-scientific postures and to celebrate both known and forgotten figures who have propelled human knowledge. It is an engaging combination of history, science, and current affairs—infused with Concostrina’s characteristic clarity and wit.