Macroevolution: Diversity, Disparity, Contingency: Essays in Honor of Stephen Jay Gould

by Elisabeth S. Vrba (Editor), Elisabeth S. Vrba (Editor)

Stephen Jay Gould (1941-2002) was one of the most prominent scientists of recent decades, a man whose expertise ranged from paleontology to evolutionary theory and the history of science. He was an unabashedly popular figure, attracting standing-room-only audiences to his lectures at Harvard and around the world. In his monthly Natural History columns and innumerable articles and books, Gould made evolution interesting in a way that hardly anyone—since the time of Darwin and Huxley—had been able to do.
In Macroevolution , major themes of Gould's work are reassessed in light of new research by his contemporaries. The book includes original essays by such noted scholars as Niles Eldredge, Richard Fortey, and Lynn Margulis on heterochrony, disparity, and macroevolution, stasis and the dynamics of evolutionary change, and mass extinctions. Fourteen essays provide an expansive overview of contemporary evolutionary theory. Macroevolution is a unique tribute to Gould that will be a valuable educational resource for students, teachers, and anyone interested in the work of this scientific provocateur.

Genres: Science

210 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

About the author

Elisabeth S. Vrba was an American paleontologist at Yale University who developed the turnover-pulse hypothesis.

Reviews

[Rachel Welton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of scientific esays is excellent as a legacy to the late Stephen Jay Gould. They are, however technical, and like most journal papers, not particularly accessible for readers unfamiliar with the jargon and concepts.