Alfred Russel Wallace

Wallace Mechanics Institute (crop)

Wallace map archipelago

SANTUBONG Mission’s seaside resort (1850s), watercolour by Harriette McDougall

Alfred Russel Wallace01

Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.AVES.144722 2 - Mino anais anais (Lesson, 1839) - Sturnidae - bird skin specimen

Alfred Russel Wallace (8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, and biologist. He is best known for independently conceiving the theory of evolution through natural selection; his paper on the subject was jointly published with some of Charles Darwin's writings in 1858. This prompted Darwin to publish his own ideas in On the Origin of Species. Wallace did extensive fieldwork, first in the Amazon River basin and then in the Malay Archipelago, where he identified the faunal divide now termed the Wallace Line, which separates the Indonesian archipelago into two distinct parts: one in which animals closely related to those of Australia predominate, and one in which the fauna reflect Asia. Wallace was one of the leading evolutionary thinkers of the 19th century and made many other contributions to the development of evolutionary theory besides being co-discoverer of natural selection.

Early Life

Wallace was born in the village of Llanbadoc, in Monmouthshire, Wales. Despite a modest upbringing, his interest in the natural world was evident from a young age. Wallace's formal education was limited, yet he developed a passion for collecting specimens, reading, and teaching himself about the natural sciences. This self-directed education laid the groundwork for his later contributions to biology and geography.

Career and Discoveries

In 1848, Wallace embarked on an expedition to the Amazon River basin with fellow explorer Henry Bates. Wallace spent four years collecting specimens and making observations of the rich biodiversity in the region. Unfortunately, many of his findings were lost when his ship caught fire during his return voyage to England.

Undeterred, Wallace traveled to the Malay Archipelago (now Malaysia and Indonesia) in 1854, where he spent eight years studying the region's animal species. It was during this period that he formulated his thoughts on natural selection and wrote the essay "On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely From the Original Type" in 1858. This essay was sent to Darwin, who was shocked to see that Wallace had arrived at a theory of natural selection remarkably similar to his own unpublished one. Their findings were presented jointly to the Linnean Society of London.

Wallace's work in the Malay Archipelago also led to his identification of the Wallace Line. His observations and collections contributed significantly to zoology, botany, and geology. Wallace's extensive travels and studies helped shape Western scientific understanding of the geographical distribution of animal species.

Later Life and Legacy

In his later years, Wallace wrote extensively on a variety of topics, including scientific, social, and philosophical issues. He was a vocal advocate for socialism, land nationalization, and the rights of the indigenous peoples he had encountered during his travels.

Wallace's contributions to science were recognized during his lifetime. He received numerous awards, including the Royal Society's prestigious Copley Medal in 1908. Despite his monumental contributions to natural science, Wallace's name is often overshadowed by Darwin's. However, his work continues to be celebrated for its critical role in developing the theory of evolution by natural selection.

Wallace died in 1913 at the age of 90 in Broadstone, Dorset, England. Today, he is remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of biology, and his work has had a lasting impact on the field of evolutionary biology.

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