Professor Matthew Cobb awarded 2026 Darwin Day Lecture Medal

On 12 February, Humanists UK hosted the 2026 Darwin Day Lecture, titled ‘The Genetic Age: Who Shapes Evolution Now?’, delivered by zoologist and author Professor Matthew Cobb. The lecture, chaired by Humanists UK President Janet Ellis MBE, explored the ways humans have shaped evolution – both historically and in the age of modern genetics.

Matthew began by placing humanity in a long evolutionary story. From early hunting and gathering to the domestication of plants and animals, humans have always shaped the world around them. But in the 1970s, with the advent of genetic engineering, our influence took a dramatic leap: for the first time, humans could directly manipulate genomes, accelerating change to species in ways never before possible.

Evolution is ‘cleverer than we are’

Quoting biochemist Leslie Orgel’s Second Rule – ‘evolution is cleverer than we are’, Matthew turned to the ecological impacts of genetic engineering. Any organism we engineer, from crops to microbes, responds to selection in unpredictable ways. Resistant insects, herbicide-tolerant weeds, and evolving viruses all remind us that nature adapts faster and in ways our designs can’t anticipate.

Matthew recalled the 2012 controversy when H5N1 bird flu was engineered to spread through the air, prompting a 60-day voluntary pause on gain-of-function research – a sobering example of how even well-intentioned experiments can carry serious biosecurity risks. But then, conversely, he explored the promise of the genetic age through the story of Victoria Gray. By editing her bone marrow stem cells to restore production of foetal haemoglobin, doctors effectively freed her from the debilitating symptoms of sickle cell disease. Her case, he said, illustrates how precise genetic interventions can transform lives.

The ethics of bioengineering

Matthew also explored the ‘de-extinction’ debate. Even if resurrecting a woolly mammoth were technically possible, he cautioned, ‘species are not simply genomes’. Mammoths belonged to ecosystems that no longer exist, and thousands of years of evolved behaviour and social learning have been lost. Attempting to reintroduce such species raises profound ecological and ethical dilemmas, highlighting that technological capability does not always justify intervention.

Matthew also explored the potential and risks of ‘gene drives’. Using CRISPR to ‘cheat’ the rules of inheritance, gene drives cause a chosen genetic trait to be passed on to almost all offspring. In mosquitoes that carry malaria, for example, a gene drive could spread a trait that prevents the insects from transmitting the disease.

Gene drives, however, are a ‘double-edged sword’, said Matthew. By forcing a genetic trait, we could unintentionally disrupt food chains, alter ecosystems, or create new evolutionary pressures that produce unforeseen consequences. Matthew stressed that while the promise is enormous, the technology demands caution, rigorous testing, and global discussion before being released into the wild.

With great power comes great responsibility

Ultimately, Cobb framed modern genetic technologies as a mirror of human responsibility. While our ability to edit genomes offers unprecedented opportunities to alleviate suffering, combat disease, and address environmental challenges, it also demands humility, foresight, and careful ethical reflection. The lecture underscored that shaping evolution is not just a scientific challenge – it is a profound moral and societal one.

After a lively Q&A, Janet Ellis presented Matthew Cobb with the 2026 Darwin Day Medal. The medal was awarded for ‘embodying Darwin Day ideals: relentless curiosity, rational inquiry, and the humility to recognise we are part of the web of life, and not its masters’.