Evening Talk – Bali, Lombok and the ‘Wallace Line’ by David Parkin

While almost everyone has heard of Charles Darwin, rather fewer have heard of A R Wallace, yet he independently recognised that species were not immutable and that natural selection was the driving force behind plant and animal evolution. Less financially independent than Darwin, his ideas were developed during his travels as a naturalist and collector through what are now Malaysia and Indonesia. He was the first to appreciate the profound differences in the fauna between the east and west of the region, leading to the recognition of the ‘Wallace Line’ between Bali and Lombok. This talk will also report on his role in one of the greatest acts of altruism in science.