Save the Species, Save the Planet
Hub Lecturer E.O. Wilson
2/26/2010
As Math and Science Division Head Paul Roeder summarized in his introduction, Professor Wilson’s work has changed the way that people think about nature and about humans’ place in it. Initially known for his detailed study of ants, Professor Wilson has come to be known as the “father of biodiversity” for his contention that every species in nature should be valued. He has spent most of his career at Harvard University, where he is a professor and honorary curator in entomology. Over the last 40 years, his research and writings have won him the U.S. National Medal of Science and two Pulitzer Prizes, as well as numerous other distinctions and awards.
Soft-spoken and unaffected, Professor Wilson explained that biodiversity is defined as “the totality of all organisms,” of which only about 1.4 million species have been identified. “This is a little known planet,” he stressed. “We have only begun to document it.” Hundreds of thousands of insects, mammals, fungi, bacteria, and viruses may have been recognized thus far, but it is likely that millions more remain unknown – all unexplored territory for future scientists, he noted. Undertaking these studies, he believes, is critical to Earth’s future, as he said, “Until we understand more species, we won’t know how to manage and maintain the environment.”
After showing the extent of rainforest destruction in places like Brazil and the Philippines, Professor Wilson showed pictures of “the departed or ready to depart” – birds, amphibians, mammals, and plants that are close to extinction or are already gone. A fraction of the world’s gross national product (GNP), he proposed, could conserve a number of areas that have been designated “biodiversity hotspots” by scientists. “The question is,” he asked, “can we afford $50 billion? Incredibly, that doesn’t seem to have sunk in.”
Urging students to get involved, Professor Wilson concluded, “To all of you, especially those with any interest in environmental activism, all I can say is: Please save the world.” His message was clearly well-received, as dozens of students and faculty remained afterward to ask more questions and glean more information from one of the most eminent scientists of their time.