E.O. Wilson

The most successful scientific revolutions are those that tell us something we didn't know, and that, in retrospect, seem obvious.

The more we know about the world, the more we are astonished by it.

The one process ongoing in the 1980s that will take the most courage to confront is the diminution of the Earth's biological diversity.

If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to disappear, the environment would collapse into chaos.

Humanity is a biological species, the product of a particular history of evolution. We are not free to choose our place in the world, but are constrained by our biological nature.

The brain is a product of evolution. Mind is a product of the brain.

The organism is only DNA's way of making more DNA.

The genes hold culture on a leash. The leash is very long, but inevitably the values will be consistent with the genetic fitness of the human species.

The central problem of sociobiology is how to explain altruism.

We are not alone. We are part of a vast, intricate, and beautiful web of life.

The love of complexity, the urge to find pattern and meaning in the world, is a fundamental human trait.

To the extent that we depend on the natural world, we are dependent on its biodiversity.

The greatest challenge to humanity is the challenge of our own nature.

The natural world is a source of endless wonder and inspiration.

The more we learn about the natural world, the more we realize how much we still have to learn.

The future of humanity depends on our ability to live in harmony with the natural world.

The human mind is a product of evolution, and it is still evolving.

We are a species that has evolved to be curious, to explore, to understand.

The only way to save the world is to fall in love with it.

The natural world is not just a collection of resources; it is our home.