Juice Spotlight: Remembering Edward O. Wilson, “Father of Biodiversity”

Edward O. Wilson, a famed conservationist, has died at age 92. Wilson devoted his life to protecting the Earth and all the species that inhabit it. His death drew tributes from across the globe. 

Actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio tweeted: "The world lost a true hero for the planet when Dr. E.O. Wilson passed away."

Wilson, a former Harvard professor, also had been one of the world’s leading experts on ants. He pioneered “sociobiology.” That's the study of the biological basis for behavior. Wilson sounded the alarm over the dangers of species loss ahead of many. In his 2016 book, “Half Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life,” he urged dedicating half of Earth’s surface to preserve biodiversity. Doing so, he said, would prevent mass extinction. 

Wilson described 400 species in richly detailed tapestries. Overall, he wrote more than 30 books. Two won Pulitzers for general nonfiction. Those are “On Human Nature” in 1979 and “The Ants” in 1991, which he co-authored with a colleague.

His E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation has proved influential. “Ed’s holy grail was the sheer delight of the pursuit of knowledge,” said its president and CEO. 

Photo from E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation.