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Scientist of the day - Ernst Mayr

Ernst Walter Mayr is one of 20th Century’s accomplished and pioneering biologists. Mayr was a German-born American biologist renowned for his work as a taxonomist, ornithologist, tropical explorer, and historian of science, who also studied population genetics and evolution. His work on the theory of evolution paved way for the modernised concepts in genetics and evolutionary biology which includes the works of Mendel, Darwin, and the concepts of ‘systematics’ and ‘biological species’. Mayr has been credited with writing more than 100 papers on avian taxonomy. He proposed a new definition of species that was widely accepted in scientific circles and contributed to the discovery of a large number of previously unknown species. Mayr successfully discovered and named 25 new bird species and 410 sub-species, during his lifetime. Through his book ‘Systematics and the Origin of Species’, he put forward a modification to the existing definition of species. A group of individuals with similar morphological traits were regarded as members of the same species (as stated by Charles Darwin) but Mayr suggested that members of a group that interbreed comprise a species. The information contained within the DNA of each species differs enough from other species to prevent interbreeding. In his later years, Mayr focused his efforts in modifying the philosophy of science to include biology as an essential way in understanding life. Read on to know more about his life and works. 

Childhood & Early Life

• On July 5, 1904, Ernst Mayr was born in Kempten, Germany, to parents Dr. Otto Mayr and Helen Pusinelli.
• Dr. Otto Mayr, by profession, was a law practitioner but he was a keen-naturalist and took hiskids on visits to inculcate in them a love and understanding of their natural surroundings.

   

  Major Works
• Mayr presented his ideas on evolution and species in his most significant book ‘Systematics and the Origin of Species’ in 1942. His theory was an integration and progression on the works of Gregor Mendel (genetics) and Charles Darwin (natural selection).

• In his lifetime, Mayr named around 25 new bird species, 410 sub-species, and over 38 new orchid species in New Guinea itself.

Awards & Achievements

• Ernst Mayr received the ‘Darwin-Wallace Medal’ in 1958 because of his work on the definition of species and his contribution in advancing Darwin and Mendel’s theories on evolution.
• In 1969, the President of United States awarded this scientist extraordinaire the prestigious ‘National Medal of Science for Biological Studies’, for his contribution to the field of biology.
• He received the ‘International Prize for Biology’ in 1994 for his work in advancing research on fundamental biology.

   

  Personal Life & Legacy
• In 1931, Mayr moved from Germany to the United States, to join the American Museum of Natural History; while he was in America, the Nazis took over Germany. Ernst, who was grateful to be safe in New York, settled permanently in the United States.
• In 1935, Mayr exchanged nuptial vows with Margarete Simon. They had two daughters and their marriage lasted more than 55 years until his wife passed away.
• The erudite scientist breathed his last on February 3, 2005, at the age of 100, in Bedford, Massachusetts. He was diagnosed with cancer few weeks prior to his last days.

• Harvard University established the ‘Ernst Mayr Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology’, in the honour of this erudite biologist