Edward O. Wilson
National Medal of Science
Biological Sciences
For his pioneering work on the organization of insect societies and the evolution of social behavior among insects and other animals.
VIEW STATISTICS +
Birth
June 10, 1929Age Awarded
47Country of Birth
USAKey Contributions
Theory Of Island BiogeographyAwarded by
Gerald R. FordEducation
Harvard UniversityUniversity of Alabama
Areas of Impact
Energy & EnvironmentAffiliations
Harvard UniversityAs a child, Edward O. Wilson moved frequently.
Without steady friends, the budding entomologist found companionship in nature, exploring the wildlife of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. and collecting bugs in the backwoods of Alabama.
At age 13, he alerted authorities to a colony of red, non-native ants in Mobile. By the time Wilson reached college, this species – the fire ant – threatened agriculture in the area and the state government commissioned him to track their activity.
As a fellow at Harvard, Wilson continued to study his favorite insect, traveling the world to observe its behavior.
From this, he devised the “taxon cycle” theory, which explains how ants have conquered much of the globe due to their abilities to adapt and colonize in adverse conditions, forming new species.
In the 1960s, Wilson fleshed out this idea in his book, “The Theory of Island Biogeography,” which explains how organisms evolve in isolated environments.