In 1959, all progressive humanity celebrates two remarkable dates related to the life and work of one of the greatest naturalists of the 19th century, the founder of modern evolutionary teaching - the English biologist Charles Darwin. February 12, 1959 marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of this scientist (1809), and November 24, 1959 - the 100th anniversary of the publication of the first edition of Darwin's main work - "The Origin of Species by Natural Selection" (1859).