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canetoad

(20,540 posts)
5. He absolutely hated barnacles!
Sat Feb 14, 2026, 05:36 PM
Feb 14

I'm not that fond of them myself when I need to walk over them.

Why Darwin Hated The Simple Barnacle

One of the issues that Darwin had was trying to figure out the classification of the simple barnacle. According to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Barnacles exist almost everywhere in the ocean, and they certainly are no secret when it comes to what they are and what they do.

The problem was it was difficult to classify the barnacle because they seem to exist somewhere between a mollusk and a crustacean.

https://greatergood.com/blogs/news/why-darwin-hated-barnacles

Recommendations

4 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I just found my kindred spirit. RandySF Feb 14 #1
A brilliant scientist who truly understood life at multiple levels. Intractable Feb 14 #2
He is a monumental figure to all of us science-loving types! It's hard to see him as flawed/human. CaliforniaPeggy Feb 14 #3
Charles Darwin is my Spirt Animal. FalloutShelter Feb 14 #4
He absolutely hated barnacles! canetoad Feb 14 #5
I like barnacles and pretty much anything that doesn't infest me or my house. thought crime Feb 14 #21
Sheepsheads like barnacles and I trust their judgement! dameatball Sunday #24
I wonder if he ever tried a chili dog with cole slaw Mysterian Feb 14 #6
Interesting. If you go further down the Bluesky account you cite, there is a reference to the origin of those quotes. xocetaceans Feb 14 #7
Great quote: calimary Feb 14 #14
Nice choice of an excerpt! That whole archive might yield many such interesting turns of phrase in service of sentiment. xocetaceans Sunday #22
In short, Darwin had just about enough of HMS Beagle. paleotn Feb 14 #17
i read a book a long time ago mopinko Feb 14 #8
Well, I certainly have days like that... hlthe2b Feb 14 #9
I have failed to realize that UpInArms Feb 14 #10
I am torn between thinking this is funny, incredibly meaningful, or very sad. senseandsensibility Feb 14 #11
Ditto. And so well said. I would not have been able to express KPN Feb 14 #13
That's kind of you to say. senseandsensibility Feb 14 #16
He really realized how stupid people actually are. twodogsbarking Feb 14 #12
As George Carlin said, you take the average guy, you must realise that half the world is stupider than him. Swede Feb 14 #19
Many of those below the bar feel they are smart. That adds to the drama. twodogsbarking Sunday #23
Not to worry, Charles We have the movie "Melania" chouchou Feb 14 #15
The world is too much with us; late and soon, Swede Feb 14 #18
Charles Darwin held deep scientific contempt for Louis Agassiz, and Agassiz hated Darwin Brother Buzz Feb 14 #20
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