Ernst Mayr, R.I.P.

Harvard announced today that Ernst Mayr, the venerable and legendary evolutionary biologist who made his home there for so long, died yesterday at the age of 100. Science magazine published a retrospective, written by Mayr himself, on his 80 years as a scientist last July after his 100th birthday that is certainly worth reviewing upon his death. There was no more important figure in 20th century science or in evolutionary biology, where his influence is surpassed only by Charles Darwin himself. Indeed, it is not unreasonable to argue that modern evolutionary theory owes as much to Mayr as to Darwin. He remained active until the very end, publishing his latest book, What Makes Biology Unique? : Considerations on the Autonomy of a Scientific Discipline, only last fall. Mayr was one of the true giants of modern science, his name deservedly mentioned in the same breath with the likes of Einstein, Darwin, Bohr and Newton. He will be sorely missed.