Hmph, after looking at the map of old Savannah, not sure I like it.  Not as RP friendly as I like.  Oh well.

Xavier is scrambling to come up with a story he hopes will fit WHEN he is, as well as explain some of his outlandish behavior and dress codes.

A few tidbits of science history.  (If it involves major discoveries in some sciences, Xavier is likely to know those, but history isn't otherwise his best subject.)

Charles Darwin published Origin of a Species in 1859.  He has published a few more books since.  He hasn't gotten around to his theories about humans .... yet.  But he has admitted that it will certainly invite abuse.  He does try to explain mutation using a predecessor term to genes called gemmules. His most recent book would have been in 1868.

1869 - Mendeleev published his Periodic Chart, which becomes the standard we use today.

1869 - DNA discovered. But it is called 'nuclein'.