Why Evolution is True is a blog written by Jerry Coyne, centered on evolution and biology but also dealing with diverse topics like politics, culture, and cats.
by Greg Mayer John van Wyhe of the National University of Singapore, and founder and chief editor of the essential Darwin Online and Wallace Online websites, has just published a new book on Wallace, Dispelling the Darkness: Voyage in the Malay Archipelago and the Discovery of Evolution by Wallace and Darwin (World Scientific Publishing, Singapore). … Continue reading Wallace: Dispelling the Darkness
by Greg Mayer Before writing my notice of John van Wyhe’s new book on Wallace, Dispelling the Darkness, I hadn’t come across this piece by him on Wallace in last week’s Guardian. The piece addresses and dispels the claim, advanced a number of times over the years—especially in popular media—that Darwin stole his ideas from Wallace, … Continue reading Darwin did not cheat Wallace out of his rightful place in history
by Greg Mayer I should probably have posted something like this earlier, but here are a few recommended books about and by Wallace. It’s an idiosyncratic list, reflecting what was interesting and available to me, but might still be useful as a starting point. Wallace is of course mentioned in many books on the general … Continue reading Some Reading for Wallace Year
In honor of Wallace Year, Greg Mayer is doing a series of posts on The Man Who Came Second. This essay gives Greg’s take on the rivalry between Darwin and Wallace about the discovery of natural selection, and how it was resolved. _____________________ Darwin and Wallace at Burlington House by Greg Mayer The theory of … Continue reading Guest post: Darwin and Wallace at Burlington House
by Greg Mayer As ever-alert reader Dominic has reminded us, 2013 is the centenary of Alfred Russel Wallace’s death, and it is thus an appropriate time to reflect on the many contributions of this great scientist who was, along with Charles Darwin, the co-discoverer of natural selection. Like Darwin, who was his older contemporary, Wallace’s … Continue reading Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913)
by Matthew Cobb For several years now, the Darwin On Line website has published an amazing wealth of Darwiniana, including his books, letters, notes, private papers and so on. Now the man who many think should be consistently co-credited with the discovery of the theory of evolution by natural selection – Alfred Russel Wallace – … Continue reading Wallace finally gets on line
by Greg Mayer A new history of evolutionary biology before Darwin, Darwin’s Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution by Rebecca Stott, appeared earlier this summer, and an interview with the author appeared in yesterday’s New York Times (it was posted to the Times‘ website several days earlier). I must admit that the subtitle made me … Continue reading Darwin’s Ghosts
I once had dinner with Janet Browne, author of what I think is the best biography of Darwin (it’s in two volumes; do read it!), and took the opportunity to ask her a question. “If you had Darwin here at the table,” I said, “and could ask him one question, what would it be?” Janet … Continue reading Did Darwin plagiarize Wallace?
