Diversity of life

Author: Edward O. Wilson
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-02-01
Features: "An important book, a stunning discovery about natural selection, a hymn to evolution and miraculous creativity. Wilson praises the benefits of diverse evolution for humanity from the perspective of the ecological disaster humans face." – Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times "The language is classical and elegant, scientifically credible: In addition to vivid descriptions of his scientific experiences and personal encounters with nature, the author presents a scientifically authoritative book in prose." – The New York Times Book Review "An important book. It places environmental issues at a very high level." – Andrew Clements, Financial Times "Where is the scientific credibility of the life diversity described by Professor Wilson? How vast is the scope of this diversity? What is causing this gradual decline? Why is this decline trend so important? Professor Wilson answers all these questions with vivid, non-textbook, and poetic language, full of originality and charming insights." – John Tierney, The New York Times Book Review "Illustrated." – Newsweek Since Darwin, no one has had such sharp insight and rich imagination about ecology. – Richard Dawkins The loss and conservation of life diversity can be called the greatest life issue of the century. The annual warning of the loss of tens of thousands of species worldwide not only worries biologists but is also an insurmountable obstacle for almost all countries in the world to promote sustainable development. As a best-selling popular science book in the UK and the US, The Diversity of Life presents readers with a scientifically authoritative book in prose language, classical and elegant, scientifically credible. In addition to vivid descriptions of his scientific experiences and personal encounters with nature, the author also provides scientific rational explanations. Where is the scientific credibility of the life diversity described by Professor Wilson? How vast is the scope of this diversity? What is causing this gradual decline? Why is this decline trend so important? Professor Wilson answers all these questions with vivid, non-textbook, and poetic language, full of originality and charming insights. It is so impressive that it is commented: "Since Darwin, no one has had such sharp insight and rich imagination about ecology."
About the Author: Edward O. Wilson was born in Alabama, a southern state in the United States. He has been employed at Harvard University since 1956. He once served as the curator of the insect division at the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology. His research fields have made the entire world his stage of activity. He has made significant contributions to popularizing biological science and has written extensively. His popular science works include Sociobiology, Insect Societies, Biological Altruism, On Human Nature (which won the Pulitzer Prize), The Naturalist, and Looking for Nature. Among these, On Human Nature and The Naturalist were also published by Penguin. Wilson also co-authored Ants with Bert Holldobler, which won the Pulitzer Prize. Wilson has received numerous scientific awards, including the U.S. National Science Medal, the Tyler Prize – established to recognize contributions to global environmental protection, and the Crafoord Prize, established by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The Diversity of Life won the Sibert Peter Kent Environmental Book Award as the best environmental book of 1993.