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Symbiotic Earth: How Lynn Margulis rocked the boat and started a scientific revolution

22 February 2018

A new film about Lynn Margulis, a scientific rebel who challenged entrenched theories of evolution to premiere at the Natural Science Museum of Barcelona on March 7

On March 7, 2018 at 18:00 the Barcelona Knowledge Hub, Academia Europaea and the Museu de Ciences Naturals de Barcelona will present  the premiere of  the new documentary film Symbiotic Earth: How Lynn Margulis rocked the boat and started a scientific revolution. The screening will take place at the Museu de Ciences Naturals de Barcelona (Parc del Fòrum) and will conclude with a question and answer session with filmmaker John Feldman and a reception. Admission is free.

Symbiotic Earth Trailer (1:30) from Hummingbird Films on Vimeo.

Symbiotic Earth is the story of Dr. Lynn Marguis, a scientific rebel and a model of female empowerment. It is particularly meaningful to hold a premiere of the film in Barcelona as Dr. Margulis spent many years of her career in Barcelona, and intellectuals and universities across Spain embraced and honored her. The film is part of a three day celebration honoring International Women’s Day ( March 8) and what would have been Dr. Margulis’ 80th birthday on March 5.  Prof. Ricardo Guerrero, Margulis’ long-time companion and colleague at the University of Barcelona, is hosting the premiere along with Anna Omedes, the director of the Museu de Ciences Naturals de Barcelona.

The film shows the way Lynn Margulis fought the male establishment and, through her persistence, triumphed. As a young scientist in the 1960s, Dr. Margulis was ridiculed when she articulated a theory that symbiosis was a key driver of evolution. Instead of the mechanistic view that life evolved solely through random genetic mutations and competition, she presented a symbiotic narrative in which bacteria joined together to create the complex cells that formed animals, plants, and all other organisms.  The idea that all of life is deeply interconnected and collaborative has radical implications for how we look at our selves, evolution, and the environment.

  • Day: March 7, 2018 from 18 to 21.20h
  • Session:
    18:00-18:10 h Brief welcome and presentation (Ricard Guerrero, Anna Omedes)
    18:10-20:40 h Screening of Symbiotic Earth
    20:40-20:50 h Questions (John Feldman)
    21:00-21:20 h Reception with refreshments
  • Place: Auditorium of Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona
  • Attendance: Free. The capacity of the session room is limited.  We recommend registering from Febreuary 26 by clicking in this website .