07-Nov-1913: Alfred Russel Wallace dies

Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913)

On 7th November 1913, the man who independently (along with Charles Darwin) came up with the idea of Natural Selection, Alfred Russel Wallace, died, age 90, at his home in Dorset.

My history of science friends generally pooh-pooh the idea of science heroes, but I have no time for such nonsense. Wallace should be seen as a hero in anyone’s book. He was also a top naturalist, and a thoroughly decent chap.

To mark the 100th anniversary of Wallace's death in 2013, the BBC and Natural History Museum put together a brief video slideshow, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, about the great man.

Contrary to the title of the slideshow, and to many headlines you might read, Wallace has never been ‘forgotten’—and long may that remain to be the case!

Richard Carter, FCD

Writer and photographer Richard Carter, FCD is the founder of the Friends of Charles Darwin. He lives in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.WebsiteNewsletterMastodonetc…

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