In the first episode of Captain Darwin, you got to know Victor Rault. After several years of missions for the Under The Pole expedition, this cameraman/director launches into his own sailing exploration project.
This 4-year trip around the world will allow him to follow in the footsteps of the scientist Charles Darwin and to study the evolution of biodiversity 200 years later.
In this second episode, he explains who Charles Darwin was, interviewing John van Wyhe, a science historian at the National University of Singapore, and author of many books about Darwin.
The life of Charles Darwin
"Charles Darwin was born in England on February 12, 1809. His father wanted him to become a doctor, but the young man was more interested in nature. He was passionate about science, but, at the time, it was not a profession, but rather an activity practiced by priests.
Finally, he embarked on the Beagle's journey as a scientist to explore uncharted territory and study geology and biology. This voyage, which departed from Plymouth in 1831, consisted of studying and mapping the coasts of the southern part of America.
During 4 years, the expedition will criss-cross the coasts, from Brazil to Argentina, through the Falkland Islands and Tierra del Fuego, and the Galapagos Islands. In 1835, it was back to England, with a passage through Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean and South Africa before reaching Falmouth in 1836.
During those years, Darwin studied nature and discovered unknown species, before working on his book: "The Origin of Species through Natural Selection."
Victor Rault's missions
Like Charles Darwin, Victor also intends to study certain animal species. In Cape Verde, he will focus on the octopus and the Razo's lark, which almost disappeared about ten years ago before being reintroduced by an NGO. Today it is therefore no longer an endangered species.
In Brazil, he will study sloth and the evolution of their ecology in relation to the devastation of the Atlantic forest, their home, which has lost 90% of its original extent.
"I did Sciences Po Rennes. You learn how to set up a methodology in relation to a bibliography, to study points of view, to cross-reference them and to give back something that is as objective as possible. I have continued to maintain this methodology by making documentaries."
The results of her studies will be used in YouTube documentaries to raise awareness of the environment and mobilize environmental citizen action.
