
At breakfast this morning I learned that E. O. Wilson had died. He was 92 years old. I was a fan of Wilson’s writing and in the last several years, read 4 of his books, including Letters to a Young Scientist, which I thought was fantastic, his memoir, Naturalist, a recent collection Tales from the Ant World, and Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge. The latter book was a difficult read and an interesting one. A friend and mentor recommended the book to me more than 20 years ago. I take these recommendations seriously, but don’t always get to them right away. In this case, it took me 20 years before I finally read the book. I have also been slowly making my way through Wilson’s magnum opus, The Ants, which he co-authored with Bert Holldobler.
With me on vacation, in addition to Mel Brooks new book, All About Me, I also planned to read Scientist by Richard Rhodes, a biography of E. O. Wilson. As we left for vacation, I remember thinking that Brooks was 95 and I wanted to read his memoir while he was still around. I got through that book quickly. It never crossed my mind that Wilson wouldn’t make it before I read the new biography. He seemed ubiquitous in the science world.
The world is short of a pioneering scientific mind and that increasingly endangered species, the science popularizer, those who can communicate the wonders and majesty and importance of the scientific world to a lay audience. Wilson was a great communicator of the importance of science, scientific method, scientific thinking, and the wonder of life, right down the ants. I will miss his insightful writing and clear way of thinking.
Did you enjoy this post?
If so, consider subscribing to the blog using the form below or clicking on the button below to follow the blog. And consider telling a friend about it. Already a reader or subscriber to the blog? Thanks for reading!