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Alfred Russel Wallace’s first expedition ended in flames

Born 200 years ago, the evolutionary biologist experienced many setbacks during his career — none more severe than when he headed home with his precious collections from Brazil.
  1. Andrew Berry

    1. Andrew Berry is lecturer in organismic and evolutionary biology at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

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Best known for formulating the theory of evolution by natural selection, independently of Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace is an appealing if enigmatic figure. The appeal stems in part from his underdog status: poor and self-educated, Wallace had none of Darwin’s social and financial advantages. The enigma comes from his keen embrace of a range of eccentric non-scientific causes, including spiritualism, phrenology and anti-vaccination (for smallpox).

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Nature 613, 22-24 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-04507-5

References

  1. Wallace, A. R. Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro (Reeve and Co., 1853).

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  2. Wallace, A. R. My Life: A Record of Events and Opinions Vol. 1 (Chapman and Hall, 1905).

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  3. Wallace, A. R. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 16, 184–196 (1855).

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  4. Darwin, C. R. & Wallace, A. R. J. Proc. Linn. Soc. 3, 45–62 (1858).

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Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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