Jane Goodall, the pioneer who shook our idea of what it is to be human

"The Selfish Gene", Richard Dawkins (Veles i Vents, 2026)

This month of September, a classic of 20th-century scientific popularization is being published here, The Selfish Gene. Although it has been translated into more than thirty languages, it is only now that we will be able to read it for the first time in Catalan. The work takes Darwin's theory, applies it to genes, and asserts that they are the true fundamental evolutionary unit: we, the individuals, are merely their survival machines. With this idea, the author explores the biological roots of selfishness and altruism to try to unravel the logic that governs the natural world. Brought to us by the publisher Veles i Vents, with a translation by Oriol Ràfols Grifell and a cover illustrated by Blanca Martí, this edition commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of the original publication by including a new epilogue by the author, Richard Dawkins.Pioneer

On October 1st, 2025, dies Jane Goodall

Primatologist, anthropologist and pioneer in the behavioral study of wild chimpanzees. Through her field studies, Goodall demonstrated that chimpanzees had behaviors that, until then, were only attributed to humans. The most important was that these primates constructed and used tools. This challenged the boundary we believed separated us, humans, from the rest of the animals and shook the foundations of the very conception of humanity.At a glance

So far and so close

Jane Goodall already anticipated that humans and the rest of the animals are not as far apart as we sometimes think. Now, comparative genetics proves it to us.

Agenda

Guided tour of the MONA Foundation (Riudellots de la Selva)

Weekends by prior reservation

The MONA Foundation is a rehabilitation center for chimpanzees and macaques that were exploited for entertainment or used as pets. With a common past marked by mistreatment and isolation, the foundation's task is to help them overcome their psychological trauma so that they can, in this way, come to enjoy a dignified life within a community of peers. On weekends, MONA opens its doors to the public to show what their day-to-day life is like at the center. A visit designed for both adults and children, but always with the aim of raising awareness about the importance of protecting nature and wildlife.Anniversary of the Miquel Crusafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology Museum (Sabadell)

Sunday, October 4th from 11 am to 2 pm The museum of the Miquel Crusafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology (ICP) is celebrating an anniversary and wants to celebrate it with all of us. For this reason, it is organizing a day designed for the whole family: a drawing contest for the little ones that serves as the perfect excuse to visit its facilities. While taking a journey through the past, the exhibitions will invite us to discover the main techniques used by paleontology, while also getting to know both the hominoid primates Laia, Jordi, and Pau, and the dinosaurs from the fossil heritage of the Tremp Basin.Dialogue table ‘Will we live with soft robots?’ at CaixaForum Tarragona

Tuesday, October 20th at 6:00 PM, with ticket purchase

Times are changing and it is no longer just the animal kingdom that challenges what it means to be human. Hand in hand with emerging soft robotics and stripped of rigid materials, soft robots present themselves as more capable, adaptable, and safe machines. But not only that, they also take on a new intelligence unique—at least until now—to living beings: embodied intelligence. This dialogue, which will seek the active participation of attendees, will be led by Concepción Alicia Monje Micharet and moderated by Román Escudero Cruz.