Steven Jay Gould passed away yesterday at the age of 60. I don't have much to add to the New York Times obit, except to say that as a child who was interested in science, several of his books were the best reads I ever picked up.
"One of the most influential evolutionary biologists of the 20th century and perhaps the best known since Charles Darwin, Dr. Gould touched off numerous debates, forcing scientists to rethink sometimes entrenched ideas about evolutionary patterns and processes. He is credited with bringing a forsaken paleontological perspective to the evolutionary mainstream."
Whatever blog writer chose to link to his obit as "succumbed to natural evolution" needs to stop writing and read Gould's books.
It's a great loss for science, and for humanity.
I am doing a research on Steven Jay Gould and eventhough I didn't know him I know that he was a very great scientist,and I hope some day someone will take his steps